India’s Ishan Kishan (left) and Sanju Samson during a warm-up session. (PTI photo) Sanju Samson will be hoping the roar of a passionate home crowd helps him rediscover his best when India wrap up their World T20 preparations in the fifth and final T20 International against New Zealand at the Greenfield Stadium on Saturday. Even though the series has already been sealed by the hosts, the contest still carries significant weight with form, fitness and final combinations firmly in focus ahead of the ICC showpiece that begins on February 7.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!India entered the fourth T20I in Visakhapatnam in an experimental mood, opting to go with five bowling specialists and taking all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube out of the bowling equation. However, the move did not yield the desired result as India suffered a defeat, allowing New Zealand to regain some momentum despite losing the series.
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With one game to go, the Indian think-tank could once again shuffle the bowling unit. Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, rested in the last two matches, is eyeing a comeback as management continues to assess combinations on spin-friendly surfaces. Meanwhile, Axar Patel’s fitness remains an issue. The vice-captain has not featured since injuring his finger in the opening T20I in Nagpur, although he was seen bowling a few in the nets ahead of the match against Visakhapatnam.The batting order is unlikely to see much change, but all eyes will be on Samson. Naturally gifted and free-flowing, the wicketkeeper-batsman has struggled for consistency in recent outings. More than the lack of runs, it is the visible technical issues – a heavy back foot trigger and an awkward swing of the bat – that have raised alarm bells in the camp. With the T20 World Cup around the corner, the team management will be looking to ensure that Samson’s confidence doesn’t dip further.There are also other multiple choice questions. Ishan Kishan, who was in good touch during the series, missed the previous match due to an unspecified injury. As a key backup option and competition for Samson, his availability will be closely monitored.Apart from individual stories, India is also chasing collective momentum. With their first match of the T20 World Cup scheduled for February 7 in Mumbai, the team will not consider it a dead rubber. A convincing 4-1 series win would further boost the confidence of a side already brimming with depth and flair.India vs New Zealand: 5th T20I Pitch ReportGreenfield Stadium traditionally offers a smooth, high-scoring surface. India have won three of the four T20Is played here, including a win over New Zealand in 2017. Mitchell Santner’s side will take heart from that knowledge, especially with opener Tim Seifert adding extra firepower at the top. New Zealand will also be hoping for a stronger bowling show, with the possible inclusion of express pacer Lockie Ferguson, subject to fitness approval.
India vs New Zealand 5th T20I: Live Streaming Details
when is the matchThe fifth and final T20I is played on January 31.What time does it start?The match starts at 19:00 IST. Toss at 18:30 IST.Where will it be broadcast live?Live streaming on Star Sports Network.Where will it be broadcast live?Live streaming will be available on JioHotstar app and website.Where can fans watch live updates?Ball by ball updates and coverage will be available on TimesofIndia.com.Teams (from):
- India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Kishan, Ishan Bishnoi.
- New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (capt), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway (wk), Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson.
