Indias predicted playing XI for 3rd T20I against England: Prince Yadav IN, Ravi Bishnoi OUT; Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to open, Sanju Samson return in limbo; check full lineup

As India aim to level the five-match T20I series against England at 1-1, all eyes are on the team composition for the crucial third T20 International at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Tuesday, July 7. Hosts England hold a 1-0 lead after a six-wicket victory in the second T20I at Old Trafford, while the series opener was washed out due to rain. 

The Bowling Reset: Prince Yadav In For Struggling Ravi Bishnoi 

The most definitive change expected in Nottingham is the exclusion of leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi. The youngster endured a forgettable outing in the second T20I, completely losing his rhythm as he conceded 60 runs in his four overs. His game-turning 17th over proved fatal for India, where he bowled three costly back-foot no-balls and conceded 29 runs, allowing England’s Jacob Bethell to seize momentum.  

With Trent Bridge historically favoring pace and seam movement, India is highly likely to replace Bishnoi with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) fast bowler Prince Yadav. Prince, who made his international debut against Ireland last month, offers the ability to swing the ball in the air and move it off the surface. Management might view his skillset as a better fit for local conditions compared to Prasidh Krishna’s back-of-the-length style.  

Young pacer Harshit Rana is also under the scanner after an expensive outing in Manchester, leaving the door open for Washington Sundar to potentially step in to lengthen the batting order.

Fans eagerly awaiting Sanju Samson’s inclusion might have to brace for more disappointment. The suspense over his place in the XI continues to build, as reports suggest that the CSK star batter might miss out on selection yet again. 

With world No. 1 T20I batter Ishan Kishan locked in as the primary wicketkeeper-batter and firing at the top order (scoring a solid 49 in the last match), there is simply no vacant slot in the top four. 

India is also keen on giving an extended run to 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who opened the batting alongside Abhishek Sharma in the previous game. Unless the management decides to heavily rest a senior middle-order player, Samson is expected to remain on the bench.  

India’s Predicted Playing XI For 3rd T20I 

8. Washington Sundar/Harshit Rana

11. Varun Chakaravarthy  

England, on the other hand, have announced an unchanged XI after their win in Manchester, banking on the momentum from players like Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook. 

Phil Salt

Jos Buttler

Harry Brook (C)

Jacob Bethell

Tom Banton

Sam Curran

Will Jacks

Liam Dawson

Jofra Archer

Adil Rashid

Josh Tongue

With the series finely poised, India need a strong performance to avoid falling 2-0 behind. The pitch at Trent Bridge is generally batting-friendly with good carry for pacers, promising an exciting contest under lights.