Spinners in Contention as India Eye Response in Hamilton
Auckland: Sairaj Bahutule, India's spin-bowling coach, has said the team will decide its playing XI for the fifth T20 only after reaching Hamilton. He added that Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, who are yet to play in the series, could be considered.
India had already built an unbeatable lead before the fourth T20 at Eden Park. The hosts, however, produced a big performance after India won the toss. Glenn Phillips struck 107 off 49 balls and Michael Bracewell hit 65 off 25 balls, lifting New Zealand to 259/7. It was the highest T20 score New Zealand has ever managed, and the highest total any team has scored against India in the format.
India replied with 172/9 and fell short by 87 runs.
Bahutule admitted that the day had not gone according to plan. He said the team had performed well over the last three games and had learned to adjust to varied pitches and situations. He said the side had aimed to do the same at Eden Park, but it did not happen. The next venue, he said, would help decide the best combination, and he made it clear the spinners might be given a chance.
He acknowledged that Kuldeep and Varun understood team balance could keep them out. Bahutule insisted both were fully ready and continued to train diligently behind the scenes.
He said the final XI would depend on the conditions in Hamilton, including the pitch and the size of the ground, which would be assessed on arrival.
Talking about India's broader spin plans for the 2028 men's T20 World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, Bahutule said the team encourages attacking bowling but accepts that strategy must change with match conditions. He cited Axar Patel's effectiveness in the powerplay and his ability to bowl at any stage.
Bahutule also noted that Abhishek Sharma keeps working on his left-arm spin in the nets, but whether he bowls will depend on captain Shreyas Iyer. On Vaibhav Suryavanshi, he said the young opener was serious about bowling but needed more time before being used regularly.