India aims to wrap up the five-match series with a win in the final game in Thiruvananthapuram, following their first loss in the series at the fourth match in Visakhapatnam. With the series already secured, the team is making changes, bringing in Arshdeep Singh to replace the injured Ishan Kishan.
As the fifth T20I approaches, India plans to implement some tactical changes, with the management looking to rotate players and test different combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. All-rounder Axar Patel may get a chance in the last match, while Hardik Pandya is likely to be rested to manage his workload.
Varun Chakravarthy, who missed the last two T20Is, has been practicing consistently following the fourth match and seems to be in good form. His strong training performance could lead to his return for the game in Thiruvananthapuram.
After missing the previous match due to injury, Ishan Kishan is expected to rejoin the squad. He has been training hard, focusing on both spin and pace, indicating that he is ready to return to the playing XI for the next match.
With Kishan likely to bat at No. 3, India may use the final T20I to experiment with different combinations and assess their middle-order options.
How will New Zealand alter their team?
For New Zealand, Fin Allen is set to replace Devon Conway at the top of the order after rejoining the squad following his BBL stint. Michael Bracewell’s participation is uncertain due to a minor left calf strain he sustained in the third ODI in Indore.
India’s Probable XI for 5th T20I: Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Varun Chakravarthy, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh
New Zealand’s Probable XI for 5th T20I: Tim Seifert (wk), Mark Chapman, Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner (c), Zakary Foulkes, Daryl Mitchell, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi
