- Dinesh Karthik suggests a rotation strategy to integrate Sooryavanshi and Samson into the Indian XI. Former Indian wicket-keeper batsman offers Abhishek Sharma a break to accommodate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the T20I final against New Zealand.
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson (Source: BCCI/X) India will face New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I of their series on Saturday, October 31, 2026, with the hosts leading 3-1 in the five-match competition.
- The game presents a selection challenge to accommodate two wicketkeepers in the line-up as Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi compete for opportunities in the opening role.
Dinesh Karthik suggests a rotation strategy to integrate Sooryavanshi and Samson into the Indian XI. Former Indian wicket-keeper batsman offers Abhishek Sharma a break to accommodate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the T20I final against New Zealand.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson (Source: BCCI/X) India will face New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I of their series on Saturday, October 31, 2026, with the hosts leading 3-1 in the five-match competition. The game presents a selection challenge to accommodate two wicketkeepers in the line-up as Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi compete for opportunities in the opening role. Dinesh Karthik has proposed a strategic solution to the selection problem.
The former Indian wicket-keeper-batsman suggested that both players can play in the same XI through a rotation proach where other team members take a break. On the topic, Karthik explained his preferred proach in terms of bowling unit and batting order. “Since it’s a game where we won the series, I wouldn’t mind keeping Axar and letting go of one of the point guards.
I would give Arshdeep a break and use Mayank and Prince. Arshdeep was exceonal as always. He was our best bowler in the series and there is no harm in putting him in to see what a spinner can do in these conditions,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
Both Samson and Abhishek Sharma have featured in every game of the series so far. Sooryavanshi came into the team after Ishan Kishan suffered an injury that ruled him out of the second and third T20Is. With Kishan now fit and available, Sooryavanshi is out for the fourth game.
Karthik addressed the specific question of how Sooryavanshi can be included without endangering the balance in the camp. He stressed that any inclusion of the young full-back must come at the expense of the player getting a day’s rest, and not at the expense of a permanent change in the eleven. The former wicketkeeper-batsman stressed the importance of team rotation and player management in the final game of the series.
“I know the world will want Vaibhav to play. If they want to play Vaibhav, they have to perform in Abhishek’s place to give him a break and that’s how it should be. Whenever it has anything to do with Vaibhav, it is always Sanju.
If you really want to suit Vaibhav, Abhishek can take a break. The key word here is ‘break’,” said Karthik.
