IND vs ENG: England stick with unchanged XI for 3rd T20I against India in Rajkot

England have announced an unchanged playing XI for the crucial third T20I against India in Rajkot, Gujarat. With the series on the line, the Jos Buttler-led side aims to bounce back after defeats in the first two matches. Staying consistent with their practice, England revealed their lineup a day before the match.

For the third T20I, Ben Duckett and Philip Salt will continue as openers, followed by skipper Jos Buttler at number three. The middle order comprises Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Smith, and Jamie Overton, while the bowling unit will be spearheaded by Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, and Mark Wood. Adil Rashid remains the lone specialist spinner, with Liam Livingstone expected to contribute a few overs with his leg-spin.

England’s performance so far in the series has been underwhelming, with the visitors struggling to counter India’s strengths. In the first T20I at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, England’s batting lineup faltered against India’s bowlers. Arshdeep Singh dismissed openers Duckett and Salt early, while spinner Varun Chakravarthy’s mystery deliveries rattled the middle order. England were bowled out for just 132, a target India chased down comfortably thanks to Abhishek Sharma’s attacking innings, securing a 7-wicket win.

The second T20I in Chennai offered more drama, with England putting up a fighting total of 165/9, courtesy of a late cameo by Brydon Carse, who scored 31 off 17 balls. India, however, found themselves in a precarious situation, losing wickets in quick succession. Tilak Varma emerged as the hero, anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 72 off 55 balls to seal a thrilling 2-wicket victory for the hosts.

England (Playing XI) for the third T20I: Ben Duckett, Philip Salt(w), Jos Buttler(c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.

India: Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Mohammed Shami, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, Harshit Rana.