India vs New Zealand: Will Ishan Kishan play fifth T20I? Axar Patel too under injury cloud

The fifth T20I between India and New Zealand in Thiruvananthapuram today might be a dead rubber, with the hosts having already won the five-match T20I series, but there is no let-up in intensity.

India lost the fourth T20I in Visakhapatnam by 50 runs, but with the T20 World Cup just days away, the hosts will look to end the series on a high. Chasing 216 to win, they were bowled out for 165, with poster boy Abhishek Sharma falling for a golden duck. The absence of wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who sat out of the match because of an unspecified inury, hurt India’s chase.

The southpaw has scored 112 runs in the series so far, at a stunning strike rate of 224.00, averaging 37.33. Kishan was at his destructive best in the second T20I, hitting a 32-ball 76 and helping India overhaul a 209-run target in just 15.2 overs. Though there has been no official update yet on his fitness, India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said that he is likely to play the final T20I.

"Ishan Kishan has always been good whenever he got an opportunity. Sometimes wicketkeeper batters don't get opportunities. But whenever Ishan has played, he has always done well. The way he played two innings was really encouraging because in power play, you are looking for someone to play the way he played," Kotak said. "And very likely (he will play), at the moment, as far as I know. The physio is here for practice. So, physios will take a call. But I feel very likely."

While Kishan’s return would be a welcome boost for the hosts, there are concerns over the match fitness of Axar Patel. The all-rounder has not played since sustaining a finger injury in the first T20I.

All eyes on Sanju Samson

Yet another concern for Team India will be opener Sanju Samson’s form. The right-handed opener has scored only 40 runs in the four matches so far. With the final T20I before the World Cup being played on his home ground, it will be the perfect setting for Samson to find his touch.

While Kotak admitted that Samson has been going through a lean phase, he said the team management was right behind him. "Sanju is a senior player, he is very good. He probably has not scored as many runs as everybody would like, but that's part of the cricketing career. Sometimes you have five innings in a row where you score so many runs and sometimes you have a little tight period."

"It's all up to an individual how to keep his mind strong and, obviously, our job is to keep him in a good frame of mind. He is practicing and he is working hard, so we all know what Sanju is capable of. I don't think anything more to say about Sanju because he has been really good," Kotak added.

Samson was seen sweating it out at nets at the Greenfield Stadium for nearly 30 minutes. He was also seen having a quick chat with head coach Gautam Gambhir and bowling coach Morne Morkel during a break from the nets.

If he plays the final match, it will be his maiden international match at his home venue.