Before the T20 World Cup 2026, Team India looks to be in a good position while competing against the strong team of New Zealand. New Zealand managed to win the fourth match of the 5-match T20 series, although the lead remains with the home team.
India will enter the last match of the bilateral series with a lead of 3-1. Despite the dominance, the Indian team management is working on a few issues to maintain good standing ahead of the T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, starting on February 7.
Sanju Samson’s run drought remains a matter of concern
India will be a strong contender to win the tournament. To keep excitement and momentum at a high level, management wants to tick all the boxes. At present, Sanju Samson’s run drought is becoming a headache for the team.
Ahead of the India vs New Zealand fifth T20I at the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, Team India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak revealed that the management is supporting Sanju Samson but so far, the keeper-batsman has not performed well yet.
In the ongoing series, Samson has endured a tough time since his return to the top order, scoring only 40 runs in the last four matches at an average of 10 and a strike rate of 142.86.
“Sanju Samson is a senior player. Probably he hasn’t scored as many runs as he should have. Our job is to put him in good positions. We all know what he is capable of doing,” the batting coach said during the pre-match press conference.
Ishan Kishan’s form has put pressure on Sanju Samson
Samson’s bat speed and footwork were criticized due to his frequent early dismissals against New Zealand’s fast bowlers. The batsman began playing shots early in the match, before acclimatising to the conditions; As a result, he missed again and again.
Samson was under pressure as Ishan Kishan, another keeper-batsman in the setup, was in great form after an injury in the fourth match had ruled him out of the playing combination.
Kishan’s injury did not appear to be serious, as the left-hander was seen as energetic as ever during the match. Kotak is hopeful that he can play the upcoming matches, but the final decision will be taken by the physio.
Kotak said, “Kishan will probably play. The physio will take the decision.”
Abhishek is a smart player – India coach
Apart from Sanju Samson’s poor form, there are many positive things for the team. The way Abhishek Sharma is performing is excellent. Kotak constantly informed the opening batsman in an effort to further improve his batting.
To further improve his performance, he often talked to captain Suryakumar Yadav, who had made a comeback from a long spell of trouble.
Kotak said, “Abhishek is a clever player. In the second game, he got caught out at deep square leg. In the next game, he was ready for it. He talks to Surya; he is open.”
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