NEW DELHI: Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram erupted into a massive roar as Skipper Surya Kumar Yadav announced the playing XI for fifth and final T20I against New Zealand.

Suryakumar teased the crowd about some returns and reassured everyone that Sanju Samson will be part of the team.

“Axar comes back, Ishan comes back and one more. Don’t worry Thiruvananthapuram, Sanju Samson is playing tonight,” Surya Kumar Yadav said with a laugh, sending the crowd into another frenzy.

The announcement comes amid a huge talk about Sanju Samson’s inclusion in the team. The opener has been struggling with form, and fans have been eagerly waiting to see if he would get a chance to open the innings.

With just 40 runs in his last four T20I innings after returning to the opening slot, the pressure is clearly on Sanju Samson. Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan has made strong statements with the bat, adding even more competition for the spot and keeping the battle at the top of the order intense.

India will be looking to wrap up the series on a high as they won the toss and elected to bat first in the fifth and final T20I. The hosts already hold an unassailable 3-1 lead, and with this being the last game before the T20 World Cup, the focus will be on finishing strong and gaining momentum.

Ishan Kishan and Axar Patel have returned to the side. Varun Chakravarthy is back as well, giving India another spin option as they aim to sign off the series with a dominant performance.