IND vs NZ 5th T20I: Which Are the Key Players to Watch?

When it comes to the fifth T20I in Thiruvananthapuram, Saturday night isn’t just any night, it’s the last chance for teams to claim the series, and the last audition for some of them to claim a spot in the T20 World Cup, six days away. Coming rushing in with reinforcements, the Kiwis have got Finn Allen who, on his BBL debut, left everyone in awe.

Well-known players who have everything to play for are at the forefront of the action.

Five players under the spotlight

Sanju Samson is in desperate need of runs in his home city, Finn Allen is on the hunt for a serious momentum kick after his Perth heroics, Tim Seifert proved in the last match that New Zealand can rattle the Indian top order and Jacob Duffy, the world’s number one ranked T20I bowler is poised to wreak havoc.

Abhishek Sharma, India’s top-ranked T20I batsman is under scrutiny, and the decision on whether India can get the edge over New Zealand will be sealed by Varun Chakravarthy’s magic. It’s not just about individual brilliance but which player can answer the pressure, and this time, it’s down to five players, Saturday night, Greenfield International Stadium, Kerala, watch out.

Sanju Samson home-town pressure

Deep dive into the world of Sanju Samson, a player who has played 56 T20Is for India but never in his home town of Thiruvananthapuram. Coming from his lacklustre display of 40 runs across four matches in this series, averaging a terrible 10 with a strike rate of 142.86. You see him scoring 10 off seven in Nagpur, six runs in Raipur, a golden duck in Guwahi and 24 off 15 in Visakhapatnam. His bad form doesn’t lie and it’s all catching up to him.

But tonight, is different, this is his home ground, his city, and his final chance before the World Cup selectors make their mind up on the eleven for the tournament. And since the news of Shubman Gill being left out of the World Cup squad, Samson doesn’t have any safety net, which makes the pressure even more high.

He got a huge welcome from the journalists who turned up to his training session on Friday, and the crowd will be his own, so Samson is soaking up that electric atmosphere, knowing exactly what’s at stake. Looking at India’s batting, Abhishek Sharma. Their world-ranked number one T20I batsman, is counting on his keeper-batter to fire up for him. For Samson, his World Cup prospects will either be restored to their former glory or completely forgotten.

Abhishek Sharma ranking and risk

Abhishek Sharma, with a respectable 929 ranking points, just two short of last year’s Asia Cup best 931, has been completely in control of this series with two consecutive half-centuries in the first two matches, 84 off 35 and 68 not out off 20.

Well-known for being one of the best in the game, even he got dismissed on a rare bad day, on a first-ball duck. That was the end of him facing any proper deliveries, and it’s a harsh reminder that in T20 cricket, anyone can look silly. The Kiwi pacers, who didn’t need much to get him out, found that one loose delivery, and Abhishek was gone.

Jacob Duffy challenge in the powerplay

Coming up against the world’s top-ranked T20I bowler Jacob Duffy, Abhishek will be in for a challenge. Duffy, who claimed 13 wickets at a minuscule 8.38 average against Pakistan and has a strike rate of one wicket every 14 balls, is all about control, accuracy and where the off-stump is, and that’s exactly what he will be laying out for Abhishek. If Abhishek can tame the powerplay and set the stage for India’s run chase, they will be able to post a massive score. If he falls once again, the pressure will mount on Sanju and Suryakumar Yadav.

Tim Seifert’s fourth-match statement

Tim Seifert‘s half-century in the fourth match sent out a statement. He scored 62 off 36 balls and got to his fifty in a blistering 25 deliveries. This equalled the record for the fastest T20I fifty by a New Zealander against India, a feat shared with Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor. Seifert absolutely creamed Harshit Rana with an 89-metre six early on, and challenged Jasprit Bumrah with a monster six over the bowler’s head in the fifth over, now placing him eighth in the latest T20I batting rankings.

The cause for concern for India is how Seifert found his feet, dodging a couple of early chances and never letting the bowlers get settled.

Then when he did get started, put them all back on the back foot. When Devon Conway and Finn Allen tore up the pitch in the century opening partnership, they showed that attacking cricket can be devastating, and coming dashing into the series straight from his BBL heroics, Allen brings another level of menace to the party.

India fast bowlers must be disciplined

Well-known for being a free-scoring batsman, India’s fast bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah need to be disciplined in the powerplay or Seifert will be taking them apart all over again.

What India need is length, not speed, they need to build up the pressure rather than giving away sixes.

Finn Allen’s BBL numbers and impact

Coming straight from Perth to Thiruvananthapuram, Finn Allen basically set the BBL ablaze last season, notching up 466 runs at a strike rate of 186.18, hitting a record 37 sixes.

More than double what David Warner and Josh Brown managed, and was even named in the BBL team of the tournament, but as a relative newcomer to the New Zealand T20I scene, his batting average of 15th in the world is still a relatively new experience.

What’s been making Allen such a force to be reckoned with, though, is his polished up technique and his recent performances.

Coming off a 19 from 17 in the Qualifier, but knocking out 49 off 30 to show he’s capable of adapting to any situation.

Well-known as a nightmare for batsmen, Allen’s return to New Zealand’s team was perfectly timed, opening with Tim Seifert could well set up another explosive start, and if he can bring his Western Australian form to India.

A big ask, New Zealand will be running away with the powerplay. Jacob Duffy’s back-up with the ball, and Allen’s fireworks at the top of the order give the Black Caps the boost they need heading into the World Cup.

Jacob Duffy’s control and strike rate

Jacob Duffy is the world’s number one ranked T20I bowler and it’s no coincidence, having bagged 32 wickets in just 23 games, averaging 16.09 with a wicket every 14 balls, and a minuscule economy rate of 7.34. He doesn’t have explosive pace, like Josh Hazlewood, but he’s got control, accuracy and a weighty delivery that can swing both ways in pleasant conditions. Michael Duffy will bring a clinical approach to the game, when facing Abhishek’s aggressive left-hand stance. He’ll look to drop the ball in areas where the Indian middle order can’t score freely and New Zealand’s strategy will count on him snatching a few wickets in the powerplay and the death.

Well-known for being in control of the game, if India can make it through the first six overs without shedding more than one wicket and scoring over 165 runs, they’ll be in a commanding position, but if Duffy tears through the top order, New Zealand will get a psychological boost and is well on its way to the World Cup.

Varun Chakravarthy’s middle-overs edge

India have a master of spin bowling in Varun Chakravarthy. He’s often out of the limelight, but he’s the backbone of India’s spin attack and his mystery variations and accuracy will be particularly useful when it comes to New Zealand’s left-hand heavy line-up.

Coming rushing into the World Cup, legendary spinner Anil Kumble is backing Varun to run the show for India’s spinners. In his words, dew won’t affect him much whereas it does tend to affect wrist spinners. The key to Varun’s effective bowling is his firm grip and flat trajectory which means that he can cut through even the wettest of evenings.

When facing Tim Seifert and Devon Conway, both left-handers, Varun is going to throw the book at them with a combination of leg-breaks and googlies and leave them guessing. He will build the pressure in the middle overs and knock down one or two wickets and give India the space to breathe.

If you’re following this game on a fantasy platform or checking the odds, Varun’s game will have a huge impact on India’s chances. If you’re putting together a fantasy team and you can get Varun in as your spinner, you’ll have the defensive gameplan that New Zealand don’t.

Key points repeated for Saturday night

Sanju Samson, playing at home for the very first time after fifty-six T20Is, desperately needs to snap his run of failures. Coming into this game, he’s scored a meager forty runs over four matches, which basically means this is his last chance to secure a spot in the World Cup squad.

Abhishek Sharma‘s World Ranking is under threat, he’s currently sitting at number one in the world rankings. The world’s top-ranked T20I bowler, Abhishek Sharma who took a duck in his fourth match has to show that he’s got the mental toughness to perform well in the World Cup’s final week, when facing Jacob Duffy.

Tim Seifert‘s 62 runs off 36 balls totally changed the game for New Zealand, and combined with Finn Allen‘s scintillating BBL form, the Blackcaps now have a lot of energy to take on the Indian bowling attack.

Jacob Duffy is renowned for his precision and his average is an unbelievable 16.09, with a wicket almost every 14 balls. If he gets the upper hand early, India’s World Cup momentum will stall, and if he’s well contained, India will get a massive boost of confidence going into the tournament.

Varun Chakravarthy is basically India’s master of the middle overs and his ability to claim 1-2 wickets in the middle part of the game will be what separates India from New Zealand as they head into the World Cup.

Well-known as the crossroads of individual redemption and team preparation, this match is basically the homecoming for Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma responds to a rare failure, Finn Allen brings his Perth form to the Indian conditions, Jacob Duffy faces the world’s best batsman, and Varun Chakravarthy‘s battle against left-handers who are known for being aggressive.

Coming in as heavy favourites, India have a bit of a problem with vulnerability, and New Zealand, on the other hand, will be armed with fresh faces and the psychological lift from a fourth match win.

The next few hours will decide not just who wins on Saturday, but who goes into the T20 World Cup with a lot of faith in themselves.