Former cricketer Dinesh Karthik suggested that if India wish to include Vaibhav Suryavanshi in India’s playing XI for the final T20I against New Zealand, they must consider resting Abhishek Sharma instead of dropping Sanju Samson again. The teenage sensation was dropped from the side for the fourth T20I in Auckland after Ishan Kishan recovered from his injury that forced him to miss the last two matches.
India have an unassailable 3-1 lead even after New Zealand’s 87-run win at Eden Park on Friday, October 30, where Glenn Phillips’ 107 off 49 and Michael Bracewell’s 65 off 25 carried the hosts to 259/7, their highest T20I total, and India were held to 172/9. Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan were dismissed for 4 and 0, respectively, while Vaibhav Suryavanshi was on the bench after scoring a 19-ball 45 in the third T20I in Wellington recently.
Dinesh Karthik suggested resting high-profile players like Arshdeep Singh and Abhishek Sharma for the fifth T20I, with the series already secured in India’s favor.
“Because it is a game where we have won the series, I wouldn’t mind holding on to Axar and letting go one of the pacers. I would go on the route of giving Arshdeep a break, and use Mayank and Prince. Arshdeep has been outstanding as usual, he has been our best bowler in the series, there is no harm in sitting him down and see what a spinner can do in these conditions,” Dinesh Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
“I know the world will want Vaibhav to play. If they want to play Vaibhav, it has got to be in place of Abhishek, to give him a break, and that is how it should be. Every time there is anything related to Vaibhav, it is always Sanju. If you want to really fit in Vaibhav, Abhishek can take a break. The key word here is break,” Karthik added.
Sanju Samson had scored a match-winning 67 off 33 in the series opener in Christchurch, and was named Player of the Match for his efforts. He then recorded 14 off 17 in the second T20I and 18 off 13 in Wellington, where he moved to No. 3 for Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
The teenager, on the other hand, struggled at No.3 in the second T20I, scoring 4 off 8. He was then involved in a 133-run partnership with Abhishek Sharma in 7.1 overs in his next appearance, as India chased 199 in 13.2 overs to take a 3-0 lead in the series.
“There is something magical that is happening there between those three” – Ambati Rayudu praises India’s new combination ahead of NZ vs IND 2026 5th T20I
Former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu suggested that the team management look to bring in a specialist spinner at the expense of a pace bowler. The pair of Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav are yet to play a single match in the series, with Axar Patel and Naman Dhir being the spin bowling options as all-rounders.
“You can play an extra spinner in Hamilton in place of one of the pacers. So either Kuldeep or Varun. I don’t think I would want to disturb the combination of Nitish Kumar Reddy, Tilak Varma, and Naman Dhir, because there is something magical that is happening there between those three. They would want to have enough game time together to understand each other,” Ambati Rayudu said.
The aforementioned trio played a crucial role in India’s stunning last-over win in the second T20I. Chasing 180 in Christchurch, India slipped to 112/6 before Tilak Varma (51 not out off 26) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (26 not out) finished the job, after Naman Dhir chipped in with a crucial 31 off 17.
India will face New Zealand in the final T20I of the series at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday, November 1.
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Edited by Gokul Nair
