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The final showdown of the high-octane T20I series India and New Zealand On January 31, 2026, at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, the game was not just a piece of dead rubber. While India has sealed the series, the atmosphere in Kerala is as electrifying as local heroes Sanzhou Samson occupy this field. However, the tactics changed in the second game. Ishan Kishan Wearing the gloves instead of Samson sent social media into a frenzy and sparked intense speculation about India’s upcoming first-choice nemesis 2026 T20 World Cup.
Suryakumar Yadav explains why Ishan Kishan kept wickets during fifth T20I
India captain speaks at post-match press conference Suryakumar Yadav The misunderstanding was quickly cleared up. He revealed that the decision was far from a last-minute reaction to Samson’s recent performances or Kishan’s century glory. According to the captain, the team management has formulated a specific rotation policy before the series begins.
Due to their absence, both Kishan and Samson will have to be in the XI. Tilak Varmais currently recovering from surgery. This provides management with a unique opportunity to test both goalies under game conditions. Suryakumar explained that the plan was to systematically divide the five-match series: Samson was earmarked for the first three games, while Kishan was earmarked for the final two.
“So, we decided before the series that three games will be retained by Sanju Samson and two games by Ishan. Unfortunately, Ishan missed the last match due to a niggle, but he will keep his wicket in this match regardless,,” Suryakumar said in his post-match speech.
He further pointed out that although Kishan missed the fourth T20I due to a niggle, he was always the designated wicketkeeper for the Trivandrum final. While this explanation is based on logistics, fans and experts couldn’t help but notice the timing. As India face off in World Cup opener USA Having Kishan practice the match behind the stumps for the match scheduled for February 7 suggests that he could be the front-runner for the primary wicketkeeper role.
Ishan Kishan’s century blitzkrieg helps India beat New Zealand 4-1 in series
If his gloves were a discussion point, then Kishan’s batting made a statement with absolute authority. On a venue that rewards brave strokeplay, Kishan looked in a different league, smashing his maiden T20I century. His impressive 103 off just 43 balls was a masterclass in modern T20 power-hitting, including 6 boundaries and a staggering 10 sixes.
Kishan’s aggressiveness at the top, coupled with Suryakumar’s trademark 63 off 30 balls and from Hardik Pandya (42 off 17), pushing India to a massive 271/5. This total is the third highest in India’s T20I history, leaving the New Zealand bowlers with nowhere to hide.
Although New Zealand’s Finn Allen struggled mightily to score a quick 80, the Indian bowling team showed no mercy. Ardeep Singh Had a career-best performance, taking five wickets (5/51) while Axar Patel3/33 ensured that the Black Caps were bowled out for 225 runs. The 46-run win not only gave India a 4-1 series win but also confirmed that the ‘Men in Blue’ were coming into T20 World Cup 2026 Their engines were running at full speed.
