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Will Sanju Samson Replace Tilak Varma?: Nothing seems to be going right for the Shreyas Iyer-led Indian team on their tour of Britain. At times, the bowlers prove expensive, while at others, the batters fail to deliver. Matters reached a low point during the third T20 match against England, where the entire Indian team was bowled out for just 76 runs, suffering their heaviest defeat in this format in terms of runs. The fourth T20 match between the two teams is scheduled for Thursday.
India Aims to Avoid Second Consecutive T20 Series Loss
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The first match of the T20 series between India and England was washed out by rain. India suffered defeats in the second and third T20 matches, leaving them trailing England 0-2. While India can no longer win the series from this position, they still have a chance to level it. Prior to the England tour, the team had lost a two-match T20 series against Ireland 0-2. The Indian team is struggling to adapt to the challenging conditions in England, and a loss in this match would mean losing the series as well.
Also Read: 4th T20I: India T20I Record at Bristol Stadium, and IND vs ENG Pitch Report
Sanju Samson Return: Big Selection Dilemma for Gautam Gambhir
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The biggest question regarding team selection concerns Sanju Samson. He was left out of the second and third T20 matches to make way for 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi. So far, the youngster's performance has been neither poor nor exceptional compared to the rest of the squad. With the team trailing 0-2, India's head coach Gautam Gambhir has not ruled out Samson's return. Following the crushing defeat in the third T20, fans outside Trent Bridge Stadium chanted slogans demanding Samson's inclusion.
Will Sanju Samson Replace Tilak Varma in India Playing 11?
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To include Samson in the team without disturbing the opening batting pair and to allow Suryavanshi the opportunity to showcase his talent without undue pressure changes might need to be made to the middle order. Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan's spot is considered secure as the management has faith in his wicketkeeping and batting style, but questions could arise regarding vice-captain Tilak Varma's place. It remains to be seen whether India will place its trust in Samson potentially with a reshuffled batting order to turn their fortunes around. In this scenario, Tilak could be dropped from the playing XI, with Samson stepping in to take his place.
Also Read: Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Be Dropped After Back-to-Back Failures?
