Ind vs NZ 5th T20I: Samson, Axar in focus as India eye strong finish today

India will look to fine-tune their combinations and end the series on a high when they take on New Zealand in the fifth and final T20 International at the Greenfield International Stadium on Saturday. Although the hosts have already sealed the series with a 3-1 lead, the match assumes importance with the T20 World Cup beginning on February 7.

Sanju Samson remains firmly in focus as he returns to his home ground amid growing scrutiny over his recent form. The free-flowing wicketkeeper-batter has struggled for consistency in the series, with technical flaws and a visible dip in confidence raising concerns within the Indian camp. With Samson being a strong contender for the opening slot at the World Cup, the team management will be keen to see him rediscover timing and intent under familiar conditions and passionate home support.

Another area of concern for India is the fitness of all-rounder Axar Patel . The left-arm spinner has not featured since sustaining a finger injury in the opening T20I at Nagpur, though he has bowled in the nets recently. Ishan Kishan , who missed the fourth T20I due to an unspecified injury, is also being closely monitored as India look to finalise their balance.

India were dominant in the first three matches of the series, registering wins in Nagpur, Raipur and Guwahati, before New Zealand struck back with a 50-run victory in Visakhapatnam. That result exposed some vulnerabilities in the Indian batting once early wickets fell, allowing the visitors to claw back momentum.

Led by Mitchell Santner , New Zealand will take confidence from that performance. Opener Devon Conway returned to form at the right time, attacking the Indian bowlers during the powerplay. The visitors will be eager to build on that effort and avoid finishing the series on the back foot.

The Greenfield International Stadium is known to be a high-scoring venue, though the pitch tends to slow down as the match progresses. India have won three of the four T20Is played here, including a win over New Zealand in 2017, making first-innings totals a crucial factor.

Jasprit Bumrah continues to be a major weapon for India. The fast bowler has been consistently effective throughout the series, combining control with penetration, and will look to sign off with another impactful spell.

With World Cup preparations nearing completion, India will not treat this contest as a dead rubber. A convincing 4-1 series win would reinforce confidence, while New Zealand will aim to prove that their resurgence in Visakhapatnam was no one-off.

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 Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravi Bishnoi.

New Zealand:

Mitchell Santner (Captain), 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.