Former Indian cricketer Parthiv Patel has advised the team management to bench Sanju Samson in the IND vs NZ 5th T20I amid concerns over his form. The Kerala opener has simply failed to fire in the ongoing series and has registered scores of 10, 6, 0 and 24 in four matches. Patel claimed that India should pick Ishan Kishan ahead of Samson for the final game of the series, adding that it would be wise to give the former some game-time before the T20 World Cup 2026.
Ishan Kishan better than Sanju Samson?
Speaking on JioHotstar, Patel claimed that it would make sense for India to have Kishan in the IND vs NZ 5th T20I as he would be the main wicketkeeper in the T20 World Cup. The Jharkhand keeper-batter returned to T20Is after a gap of two years as he led his domestic team to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy tiitle and found a place in India’s T20 World Cup squad as well. In three games that he has played thus far in the series, he has registered scores of 8, 76 and 28.
“If I was part of Team India’s think tank, I would play Ishan Kishan over Sanju Samson for the last match of the series. I would make Sanju sit out and go with Ishan as the wicketkeeper-batter. I am choosing this because if I want Ishan as my main keeper for the T20 World Cup, I would give him the keeping gloves in the fifth T20I and the warm-up against South Africa too. It is likely that Tilak Varma will be fit before the World Cup, and reports suggest he will be. If he is fully fit, you have to keep a spot for him. So, if that decision is coming, why wait? Play Ishan Kishan now over Sanju Samson in the final match,” Parthiv Patel said.
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