Ishan Kishan's potential return to India's playing XI for the fifth and final T20I against New Zealand in Thiruvananthapuram is currently a major talking point. The young wicketkeeper-batsman was sidelined for the fourth T20I due to a minor niggle, but recent statements from India's batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, suggest that Kishan is likely to feature in the upcoming match.
Kotak addressed the media on the eve of the fifth T20I, providing an optimistic update on Kishan's availability. "Very likely, I think he will, as far as I know," Kotak stated, as reported by RevSportz. However, he also emphasized that the final decision rests with the team's physios, who will assess Kishan's fitness before the game.
Kishan's absence in the previous match allowed Sanju Samson to continue as wicketkeeper, but Samson's underwhelming performance in the series has intensified the debate about team selection. In four outings, Samson has only managed to score 40 runs at an average of 10. Despite these numbers, Kotak has expressed his support for Samson, asserting that the team management continues to believe in his ability. "Sanju is a senior player, he is very good," Kotak said. "He probably has not scored as many runs as everybody would like, but that's part of the cricketing career".
Kotak also highlighted the importance of maintaining a positive environment for Samson, especially during this challenging phase. "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 added.
The possible inclusion of Ishan Kishan could provide a significant boost to India's middle order. Kotak has previously noted that the presence of aggressive batters like Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, and Abhishek Sharma has enabled the team to adopt a more attacking batting approach throughout the series. Furthermore, Kishan's versatility as an opening batsman and wicketkeeper offers the team valuable flexibility.
However, if Kishan is deemed fully fit and reclaims his spot, it remains uncertain how the team management will adjust the batting order. One possibility is that India may choose to rest one of their bowlers, as they had included an extra bowler in the fourth T20I.
As the T20 World Cup approaches, these white-ball fixtures against New Zealand and South Africa are crucial for India to fine-tune their preparations. Kotak emphasized the significance of these series as building blocks for the upcoming tournament. The team will be aiming to strike the right balance and provide opportunities for players to showcase their skills.
The final decision on whether Ishan Kishan will play in the fifth T20I rests on the assessment of the team physios. If he is declared fit, his inclusion could bolster India's chances in the match and provide valuable match practice ahead of the World Cup. The match is scheduled to take place on January 31.
