The fourth match of the five-match T20 series between India and England will be played on July 9 (Thursday) at the County Ground in Bristol. Indian team led by Shreyas Iyer loses the series 0-2. In such a situation, this match is a do or die match for Team India. If there is a defeat here, not only will the series be lost, but Team India will have to face defeat in the second consecutive bilateral T20 series.
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To save the series, captain Shreyas Iyer may make major changes to the playing XI. Sanju Samson could return in place of vice-captain Tilak Verma, who is struggling with poor form. At the same time, Washington Sundar may be given a chance in place of Akshar Patel, who is proving to be an expensive player in the bowling department.
While Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who has shown fearless performances in his first two international matches, may be retained for Game-11. With the return of Sanju, there could be major changes in the Indian team. Sanju played the first match of the series, but after 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi was included in the playing XI, he had to miss the next two matches.
Now Team India is on the verge of losing the series. In such a situation, the team management can once again express confidence in Sanju Samson’s experience and aggressive play. Sanju was the ‘Player of the Tournament’ for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Despite this, his absence from the playing 11 for two matches in a row remained a topic of discussion.
The batting order will be changed
Removing the vice-captain from the Games 11 beach series would be a big decision. But with two losses in a row and the danger of losing the series, the team’s management may make difficult decisions. There may also be a change in the Indian team’s batting order with the return of Sanju Samson. One option is that Sanju and Vaibhav Suryavanshi will open the innings and Abhishek Sharma will be sent in to bat at number three.
The second option is to keep the first pair of Abhishek and Vaibhav. In such a situation, Sanju can bat at number three. This decision will not be easy for Team India. Abhishek has been one of India’s best batsmen in this series and he batted aggressively early in the game. In such a situation, changing the batting order can also be risky.
Axar Patel’s performance in the fourth T20I was disappointing. He gave away 49 runs in 4 overs. In the last few matches, his bowling has not shown the edge for which he is known. England’s batsmen played his pace and variations well.
Washington Sundar can play in the powerplay and can also be useful in the middle overs when needed. Apart from this, his batting strengthens the Indian lower team. Washington has taken 51 wickets in 61 T20 International matches for India. He scored 274 while batting.
Under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, Team India has not been able to live up to expectations in this tour so far. Earlier, India lost the T20 series to Ireland 0-2. Now the team is on the verge of defeat in the series against England. In such a situation, Shreyas is faced with the challenge of not only selecting the right 11 players but also getting the players to perform better on the field.
Likely India-11 game in the fourth T20: Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Sanju Samson (watchman), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Shivam Dubey, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakraborty and Prince Yadav.
Probable game for England 11 in the fourth T20: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Harry Brooke (c), Jacob Bethel, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacques, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid and Josh Tong.
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