India take on England as Shreyas Iyer won the toss and decided to bowl first in the fifth T20I in Southampton on July 11. India, who have already lost the series, made two big changes to their playing XI. Sanju Samson walked into India's playing XI in place of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Suryansh Shedge coming in for Washington Sundar was the other change in India's starting XI. Meanwhile, England didn't tinker with their side for the dead rubber.
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Sooryavanshi dropped, Sanju comes in
After winning the toss, Indian captain Shreyas Iyer, said noting that the pitch conditions are expected to remain consistent throughout the game. Acknowledging the tough tour his side has endured, Iyer emphasised that the squad has experienced every high and low in the series and remains fully prepared for the challenge ahead. He urged his players to maintain a resilient mindset rather than dwelling on past defeats, stressing the importance of staying present in the moment. Turning his focus to the playing eleven, the skipper also announced a couple of strategic tactical adjustments for the final fixture. Looking to spark a turnaround, India made two personnel changes for the clash, bringing Sagar Shedge into the lineup in place of Washington Sundar, while the experienced Sanju Samson replaces the young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
India's Playing XI:
bhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Prasidh Krishna
England's Playing XI:
Philip Salt, Jos Buttler(w), Harry Brook(c), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue
The Indian team management faced heavy backlash after making the controversial decision to bench Sanju Samson in favor of youngster Sooryavanshi, especially given Samson's strong performances leading up to that point. Now handed another opportunity in the starting lineup, the experienced wicketkeeper-batter faces immense pressure to perform and firmly cement his permanent spot in the national side. This chance comes at a crucial juncture, as Samson enters the match on the back of a lean patch, having failed to make an impact in his last three outings—two in Ireland and one in England.