Abhishek Sharma should be rested to include Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, says Dinesh Karthik
Former wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik suggested Abhishek Sharma receive a break instead of Sanju Samson to accommodate the teenage batter in the final T20I.
Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik has suggested that Abhishek Sharma should be rested to allow teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to play in the fifth T20I against New Zealand.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Karthik said that if India want to include Sooryavanshi, Abhishek should take a break rather than Sanju Samson being dropped repeatedly.
Sooryavanshi missed the fourth T20I in Auckland after Ishan Kishan recovered from an injury. The youngster previously scored 45 off 19 balls in the third T20I in Wellington.
Samson started the series with a match-winning 67 off 33 balls in Christchurch but scored 14 and 18 in the following two matches. He was moved to No. 3 in the third T20I to make room for Sooryavanshi.
The debate follows India's 87-run defeat in the fourth T20I. New Zealand reached 259/7, led by Glenn Phillips' 107 off 49 balls, before Jacob Duffy took four wickets to restrict India to 172/9.
India have already secured the five-match series 3-1. The final T20I provides an opportunity to assess batting combinations.