Ishan keeping in Thiruvananthapuram was decided before the series: Suryakumar

Sanju Samson did not keep wickets for India in the fifth T20I in Thiruvananthapuram despite being listed as the designated wicketkeeper on the team sheet. Instead, it was Ishan Kishan, coming off his maiden T20I hundred in the first innings, who took the gloves.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav said the move was part of a plan finalised before the series and not a decision taken on match day, though it did not explain why Samson was marked as wicketkeeper on the team sheet shared after the toss.

"Both the keepers were playing since game one as Tilak [Varma] was not available," Suryakumar said. "So we decided before the series started that three games will be kept by Sanju Samson and two games will be kept by Ishan.

"Ishan unfortunately missed the last game because of a niggle, but he was anyway going to keep the kicks today."

Samson sharing wicketkeeping duties reflects the shrinking ground on which he is currently standing. His returns as an opener in 2025 have been modest, a phase not helped by how he was pushed to the middle order during the Asia Cup before eventually losing his place in the side to Jitesh Sharma in Australia.

Since being picked ahead of Shubman Gill for the T20 World Cup, Samson has returned to the top of the order but has not shown form or consistency. He has scored 134 runs in 11 innings as an opener this year, with a highest score of 37.

At the same time, Kishan has strengthened his case. He finished the series with 215 runs in four innings, ending as the second-highest run-getter behind Suryakumar, and even scored his maiden T20I hundred along the way.

If and when Tilak Varma returns to the squad and takes his place at No.3, India are likely to face a selection call between Samson and Kishan.

Suryakumar said Tilak is "shaping well" and that he should be joining the World Cup squad soon. BCCI had set that date for 3rd once he "has regained full match fitness."

"Tilak Varma is much better, he's been shaping well," Suryakumar said. "I heard he's playing two games in Bombay on the 2nd and the 4th. I think two games are enough. I spoke to him yesterday only, he started batting, bowling, fielding, everything. So hopefully we should have him soon."

Tilak will first play in an India A fixture against USA at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on February 2, followed by India's warm-up match against South Africa on February 4.

There was also some positive news from Suryakumar on Washington Sundar, another World Cup squad member racing against time to regain fitness. "Washy has almost started his bowling, batting. So he's also looking good," the India captain said.

India open their T20 World Cup campaign against USA on February 7 at Mumbai's iconic Wankhede Stadium.