Ashhar Alam | New Delhi

Ishan Kishan’s sensational 76 off 32 balls has reignited debate over India’s ideal opening combination, as Sanju Samson continues to struggle while the hosts look to seal the five-match T20 series in the third game on Sunday.

Reinstated alongside Abhishek Sharma at the expense of Shubman Gill, Samson has failed to justify the faith, scoring only 10 and 6 in the series so far. His vulnerability against express pace has resurfaced, raising questions ahead of the T20 World Cup. Former opener WV Raman summed it up: Samson “will be inconsistent as long as he doesn’t adjust the speed of his bat to the ball’s pace.”

Kishan’s counter-attack rescued India after an early collapse of 6/2, hitting a 21-ball fifty and setting the platform for skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who ended his 23-innings fifty drought with a blazing 82 off 37 balls. India chased 209 with ease, reaching the target in just 15.2 overs and scoring at 14.5 runs per over in the crucial middle overs.

On the bowling front, Kuldeep Yadav and Harshit Rana controlled the middle overs after Arshdeep Singh leaked 36 runs early. India will hope Axar Patel recovers from a finger injury ahead of the World Cup, while Jasprit Bumrah is expected to return after being rested.

For New Zealand, fielding lapses and tactical rigidity cost them dearly. Drops by Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi, and a costly over by replacement Zak Foulkes, allowed India to dominate. Daryl Mitchell, in good form, could be key for the visitors as they regroup.

With Kishan and Suryakumar in top form, India hold a 2-0 lead and are well-positioned to seal the series before the T20 World Cup, while Samson’s spot remains under scrutiny.

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Teams:

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Rinku Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana.

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Devon Conway, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Tim Robinson, Jimmy Neesham, Ish Sodhi, Zak Foulkes, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy.