New Delhi, Oct. 20 -- Sanju Samson's ability to produce match-defining innings has kept him in India's T20I plans, but competition for batting positions will remain a central selection question as the team prepares for its five-match series against New Zealand, beginning on 22 October.

The wicketkeeper-batter was named in India's squad for the tour, alongside Ishan Kishan, another wicketkeeping option who can bat in the top order. With Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Tilak Varma also part of the squad, India have several options for their batting combination.

Samson's recent performances against the West Indies illustrated both his capacity to change a game quickly and the fluctuations that have characterised his returns. He s...