Will Sanju Samson play tonight in 5th ENG vs IND T20I?
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Sanju Samson was dropped from the Indian XI after just three failures.
The Indian Cricket Team are having a tough time in T20Is. Having already lost the series, the Shreyas Iyer-led side will be taking on England in the last match of the five-match series. The dead-rubber fifth T20I will be played at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Saturday, July 11.
England have been magnificent in the series and haven’t allowed India to take command even once. They are 3-0 ahead in the series, and would want to make it 4-0, completing a historic whitewash over the T20 World Cup 2026 champions.
After a close fought second T20I, India suffered a horrific loss in the third T20I as they registered their biggest defeat by runs, losing by 125 runs. In the fourth ENG vs IND T20I, India yet again struggled to get going with bat and managed just 158 runs with captain Shreyas Iyer being the lone fighter.
England made fun of the chase and completed a dominating 9-wicket win in just inside 14 overs. The Men in Blue will now enter the clash under immense pressure. Ever since they arrived in the UK, nothing has gone in their favour. First, they lost both the games against Ireland and now are on the verge of getting whitewashed.
Will Sanju Samson play in the fifth ENG vs IND T20I?
India’s team selection has been one of the major talking point. They made a surprising call in the second T20I when Sanju Samson was dropped to accommodate 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The move failed drastically as the left-hander also failed to make the mark.
There were reports which claimed that selectors are not happy with Samson’s inconsistency, and he was also not picked in the team for the Zimbabwe tour. However, head coach, Gautam Gambhir was open to admit that he has been given clarity of Samson about his omission.
However, with series already lost, and top-order struggling to get going, there are chances that Sanju Samson might be back in the XI for the last game. The keeper-batter was the Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup 2026, and cannot be benched for a long time.
There are chances that he might replace Ishan Kishan or Tilak Varma, who have struggled to get going. India would be hoping that things go their way in last game and they finish the series on a high.
Will Sanju Samson play tonight in fifth ENG vs IND T20I?
There are chances of Samson playing the match.
When will fifth ENG vs IND T20I take place?
The fifth England vs India T20I will be played on Saturday, July 11.
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Ankitjit Singh is a dedicated sports journalist whose childhood dream was to play cricket—now, he serves the game through his work. With over three years of experience in reporting, writing, and editing, he brings deep insight to his coverage. A journalism graduate from Delhi University, Ankitjit’s passion for cricket took root during his college days and continues to drive his career.