Sanju Samson will hope the roar of a passionate home crowd helps him rediscover his fluent best as India wrap up their T20 World Cup preparations in the fifth and final T20 International against New Zealand at the Greenfield Stadium on Saturday. While 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 starting February 7.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India entered the fourth T20I in Visakhapatnam in an experimental mood, opting to go with five specialist bowlers and keeping all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube out of the bowling equation. The move, however, did not bring the desired outcome as India suffered a defeat, allowing New Zealand to claw back some momentum despite losing the series.
With one game left, the Indian think-tank could once again shuffle the bowling unit. Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, rested for the last two matches, is in contention to return as the management continues to assess combinations on spin-friendly surfaces. The fitness of Axar Patel, meanwhile, remains a concern. The vice-captain has not featured since injuring his finger in the opening T20I at Nagpur, though he was seen bowling a few deliveries in the nets ahead of the Visakhapatnam match.The batting order is unlikely to see wholesale changes, but all eyes will be on Samson. Naturally gifted and free-flowing, the wicketkeeper-batter 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 bat swing — that have raised alarm bells within the camp. With the T20 World Cup fast approaching, the team management will be keen to ensure Samson’s confidence does not erode further.There are other selection questions too. Ishan Kishan, who has been in good touch during the series, missed the previous game due to an unspecified injury. As a key backup option and competition for Samson, his availability will be closely monitored.Beyond individual narratives, India are also chasing collective momentum. With their first T20 World Cup match scheduled for February 7 in Mumbai, the team will not treat this as 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 ReportThe Greenfield Stadium traditionally offers a smooth, high-scoring surface. India have won three of the four T20Is played here, including a victory over New Zealand in 2017. Mitchell Santner’s side will take heart from that familiarity, especially with opener Tim Seifert adding extra firepower at the top. New Zealand will also hope for a stronger bowling showing, with express pacer Lockie Ferguson a possible inclusion, subject to fitness clearance.
India vs New Zealand 5th T20I: Live Streaming Details
When is the match?The fifth and final T20I will be played on January 31.What time does it start?The match begins at 7:00 PM IST. Toss at 6:30 PM IST.Where will it be telecast live?Live broadcast on the Star Sports Network.Where will it be live streamed?Live streaming will be available on the JioHotstar app and website.Where can fans follow live updates?Ball-by-ball updates and coverage will be available on TimesofIndia.com.Teams (from):
- India:
Suryakumar Yadav (Capt.), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (Vice-Capt.), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravi 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.
