India vs New Zealand: Ishan Kishan likely to keep wickets for Thiruvananthapuram T20I; what does this mean for Sanju Samson?

India's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign is less than a week away and the team management is constantly ensuring that the team remains in peak shape once the tournament starts. For now, the injury concerns around Tilak Varma and Washington Sundar seem to have cleared to some extent but there is a potential selection dilemma still looming.

Ishan Kishan has made a strong statement since his comeback to the playing XI in this series. While the left-hander failed in the opening game, he followed it up with scores of 76(32) and 28(13) before being rested due to a niggle in fourth fixture. In contrast, Sanju Samson has only aggregated 40 runs across the four matches.

When Varma returns to the playing XI, only one of Kishan and Samson will play. It did seem like the Kerala batter would be a certain starter in the T20 World Cup but it would be a bold decision to choose him over Kishan unless a big score happens in Thiruvananthapuram. For the fifth T20I, both Kishan and Samson will be in the XI but there is a twist.

During the practice session on match day eve, Kishan was seen donning the gloves for an extended period of time. Samson, meanwhile, underwent intense fielding drills and if these are any indicators, then Kishan is set to be the wicketkeeper for the final fixture. It also makes sense because if Samson were to be dropped, Kishan needs wicketkeeping practice under his belt as much as batting practice.

The Thiruvananthapuram fixture will be Samson's first international game at his home ground and by all means, it is a make-or-break game for him, if he wants to start the T20 World Cup. The team management might claim otherwise but a lot is riding on this game for Samson. Kishan getting the gloves is possibly another hint to the 31-year-old - it's now or never.