India already won the series but the 5th T20 still matters plenty. Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram hosts this final clash on Saturday. New Zealand saved themselves from a whitewash by winning the 4th match.
Sanju Samson returns home for the IND vs NZ 5th T20 finally. Kerala’s favourite son plays at his home ground in front of local fans. The pressure on him to score big runs increases massively now.
Suryakumar Yadav leads India while Mitchell Santner captains New Zealand in this series finale. Both teams will experiment with combinations ahead of the World Cup. The IND vs NZ 5th T20 Playing 11 might see some fresh faces.
Sanju Samson’s Home Pressure
Sanju Samson needs runs desperately before the World Cup begins in February. He’s managed only 40 runs across four innings this series. That’s terrible form for India’s first-choice opener and wicketkeeper honestly.
Playing at Thiruvananthapuram gives Samson the perfect stage to rediscover his touch. Local fans want to see their hero smash boundaries all around the ground. The match becomes his redemption opportunity basically.
Management keeps backing Samson despite the poor numbers so far. They know what he can do when confidence returns fully. One big knock here changes everything heading into the World Cup.
India’s Bowling Changes Expected
India experimented heavily with their Playing 11 in the 4th match. They used five frontline bowlers instead of all-rounders like usual. Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya didn’t bowl during the 4th match.
Varun Chakaravarthy sat out the previous few matches to manage workload. The mystery spinner could return for the IND vs NZ 5th T20 easily. His variations trouble batsmen on the turning Indian pitches regularly.
This match lets India test their bench strength before crucial games. Giving fringe players match time helps understand who performs under pressure. Every squad member needs confidence going into the World Cup soon.
| India | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma | Devon Conway |
| Sanju Samson (WK) | Tim Seifert (WK) |
| Ishan Kishan | Rachin Ravindra |
| Suryakumar Yadav (C) | Glenn Phillips |
| Rinku Singh | Mark Chapman |
| Hardik Pandya | Daryl Mitchell |
| Shivam Dube | Mitchell Santner (C) |
| Harshit Rana | Matt Henry |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Kyle Jamieson |
| Arshdeep Singh | Ish Sodhi |
| Varun Chakaravarthy | Jacob Duffy / Lockie Ferguson |
New Zealand’s Selection Dilemma
New Zealand might stick with the same Playing 11 from their 4th match win. That victory gave them confidence after three straight losses earlier. Why change a winning combination right before the finale?
But Mitchell Santner could try new players to check bench options. The IND vs NZ series ending means experimenting carries less risk now. Their World Cup squad needs everyone match-ready and firing.
This T20 wraps up an entertaining series between these rivals.
