Who will Replace Shubman Gill as Abhishek Sharma Opening Partner in 5th T20I?

The Indian Cricket team suffered a huge blow before the India vs South Africa 4th T20I in Lucknow as vice-captain Shubman Gill sustained a toe injury during the training session. After which, the right-handed batter was ruled out of the ongoing five-match series. Fans were waiting to see who would come as Abhishek Sharma new opening partner, replacing Gill in the 4th T20I. However, the match had to be called off due to excessive fog at the venue on December 17, as the fans were left guessing.

Sanju Samson Likely to Replace Shubman Gill

The fifth and last match of the series will be played on December 19 at one of the biggest cricket stadiums in the world, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. And the eyes will be on Abhishek Sharma new opening partner, the Shubman Gill replacement in the final clash. Interestingly, the answer is pretty simple. The Kerala-born batter Sanju Samson will be seen playing in place of Gill in the fifth match.

Samson is the only experienced opener in India's squad apart from Abhishek and Gill for the ongoing T20I series. The right-handed batter has played multiple matches as an opener for India in the past and even performed brilliantly. However, ever since Gill returned in the T20I format, Samson was forced to change his batting position and was given a finisher's role. Meanwhile, Samson hasn't played a single game in the ongoing series.

Axar Patel Also Ruled Out of the Series

Apart from Shubman Gill, Axar Patel was ruled out of the series earlier due to illness. The star all-rounder played the first two matches and performed decently, but missed out on the third match as he was unwell. Bengal cricketer Shahbaz Ahmed has been named as his replacement. But it's unlikely that he'll get a chance to play in the last match as the playing XI is already sorted, and the Men in Blue would like to continue playing with their winning combination.

The fifth T20I in Ahmedabad would be a do-or-die for the Proteas as India is leading the series 2-1. A win or even a tie would be enough for the Indian team to win the series. South Africa can't win the series, but they can level the series by winning the last match.