ENG vs IND 2026: Is Sanju Samson playing in the 5th T20I?

CricTracker

newspoint|11-07-2026


India will be looking to finish the series on a high note in the fifth T20I against England at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. The reigning T20 World Cup champions have been comprehensively beaten in the last three games after the first T20I was rained out. The Three Lions, leading the series 3-0, will be looking to finish the series unbeaten, with a win taking them to number 1 in the ICC T20I rankings. The game was delayed by half an hour due to India's team bus being stuck in traffic.

India were beaten in the fourth T20I in Bristol by nine wickets. Electing to bat, they were restricted to a total of 158 for 7 in their 20 overs, which England chased down in just 13.5 overs. England skipper Harry Brook scored a blistering unbeaten 35-ball 79 and was supported by Phil Salt, who scored his second consecutive half-century.

ENG vs IND: Toss update

Indian captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to bowl. He wanted his team to get the best out of themselves and stay in the moment without focusing on poor performances. Harry Brook of England said that they were looking to bat first, and the motivation to win this clash is to reach the number 1 spot in the T20I rankings. 

ENG vs IND: Is Sanju Samson playing today?

Yes. Sanju Samson makes his return to India's XI for the fifth T20I. He returns to the top of the order in place of the prodigious Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has scores of 14, 13 and 15 in his first rodeo in international cricket.

Suryansh Shedge made his way into the team for Washington Sundar as the second change for the Indian side. For England, Liam Dawson returned to the team in place of Rehan Ahmed. Leg-spinner Adil Rashid is playing in his 150th T20I match.

ENG vs IND: What did the captains say? Shreyas Iyer, Indian captain

"We are going to bowl first. Considering the bowling which we have done in the last few games, I feel we have experienced everything. Based on the conditions today, it is sunny, the wicket is not expected to change much. Not at all. It is another challenge, another day. We are up for the challenge. I want them to give 100% effort. I just want them to have a solid mindset, where they go out there and give their best rather than sulking. Two changes. Suryansh Shedge is in for Washington Sundar. Sajnu Samson is in for Sooryavanshi. We need to try what's best for us going forward as a team."

Harry Brook, England captain

"We would have had a bat, so very happy. Well, we've got a little bit of an aim. If we win today, we go to World number one, so that's the back of our mind, but it's the same as what we've done all series, really. Adapt well to the surface and have good communication. He's [Adil Rashid] been around for a long time now. He's a very valuable player for us, and he's, yeah, he has skill, he is wily, and he has the ability to outfox players that is phenomenal, and he's awesome to have inside. Dawson's back in for Rehan."

ENG vs IND: Playing XIs England:

Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (WK), Harry Brook (C), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue

India:

Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (WK), Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Axar Patel, Prince Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna