Sanju Samson on edge as Surya & Co eye 4th win in a row
Visakhapatnam: With the T20I series already in India’s favour at 3-0, the hosts aim to consolidate their dominance over New Zealand in the fourth match at Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. While India’s batting has been a spectacle, the spin department has struggled to find rhythm. Kuldeep Yadav has picked just two wickets in as many outings, conceding 9.5 runs per over, while Varun Chakravarthy, rested for the third T20I, has lacked his usual zip in two high-scoring games. India may contemplate persisting with Ravi Bishnoi, who impressed in Guwahati (4-0-18-2), or reinstating Chakravarthy, giving Kuldeep a breather. All-rounder Axar Patel’s fitness will also be monitored after a finger injury kept him out since Nagpur.
At the top, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Ishan Kishan have terrorized the Kiwi attack, maintaining strike-rates over 230 and finishing games in a combined 25.2 overs across two chases. Sanju Samson remains the lone underperformer with 16 runs in three games, though the management may tinker with his batting position. New Zealand’s bowling continues to struggle, with only Jacob Duffy showing moderate control, while Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Mitchell Santner, and Ish Sodhi have all been taken to the cleaners.
