India elect to bowl in 5th T20I vs England; Samson, Shedge return
Synopsis
England need just one more win at Southampton to complete a T20I clean sweep over India and claim the world No 1 ranking. India, already down 3-0, have reshuffled with Samson and Shedge coming in — and even their toss was delayed 45 minutes after the squad got stuck in traffic. The stakes couldn't be more different for both sides.
Key Takeaways
India won the toss and elected to bowl first in the 5th T20I at The Rose Bowl, Southampton on 11 July .
The toss was delayed by 45 minutes after the Indian team was stuck in traffic en route to the stadium.
Sanju Samson and Suryansh Shedge replace Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Washington Sundar in India's XI.
England have already won the series 3-0 ; a win here would seal a clean sweep and make them the world's top-ranked men's T20I side .
Liam Dawson replaces Rehan Ahmed in England's playing eleven.
The two teams next meet in a three-match ODI series starting 14 July in Birmingham .
India won the toss and opted to bowl first against England in the fifth and final T20I at The Rose Bowl, Southampton, on 11 July, with Sanju Samson and Suryansh Shedge returning to the playing eleven. The toss itself was delayed by 45 minutes after the Indian squad arrived late at the ground, reportedly caught in heavy traffic.
India's Team Changes
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Washington Sundar have been dropped from the starting eleven, making way for Samson and Shedge. Captain Shreyas Iyer, who has won every toss on this tour, cited windy conditions and a pitch unlikely to deteriorate significantly as the rationale for bowling first.
Iyer said the team's focus was on effort over outcome. 'I just want to give 100 per cent effort today, irrespective of the result. I just want them to have a solid state of mind where they go in and just try to get the best out of themselves, rather than sulking or being in a situation where they're a bit ahead of the game. Be in the moment and just stop thinking about what's happened and what could happen,' he said.
England's Position and Changes
England have already clinched the series with an unassailable 3-0 lead. A win in this match would hand them a clean sweep and elevate them to the top of the ICC men's T20I rankings. Left-arm spinner Liam Dawson replaces leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed in England's eleven.
England captain Harry Brook said his side would have preferred to bat. 'We'd have had a bat, so we're pretty happy. If we win today, we go to world No 1, so that's at the back of our minds. But, as we've done all series, we want to adapt to the surface and communicate well,' Brook said.
What India Are Playing For
With the series already lost, India are chasing pride in this final match before the bilateral T20I leg concludes. The two sides then move on to a three-match ODI series, beginning on 14 July in Birmingham. A positive finish here could provide momentum — and selection clarity — heading into that white-ball assignment.
Playing XIs
India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.
England: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Harry Brook (captain), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue.
Point of View
Samson handed another audition, a debutant in Shedge given a look. With the series gone and the ODIs days away, the fifth T20I is less a contest and more a trial. England, by contrast, are playing for history: world No 1 and a clean sweep are very real incentives, and Brook's side have outclassed India at every turn this series. The 45-minute traffic delay is a footnote, but it adds to the sense that this Indian touring unit has struggled to find its footing in England from the very first coin toss.
NationPress
11 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the result of the toss in the 5th T20I between India and England?
India won the toss and elected to bowl first in the 5th T20I at The Rose Bowl, Southampton on 11 July. The toss was delayed by 45 minutes after the Indian team arrived late due to a traffic jam.
Who are the changes in India's playing XI for the 5th T20I?
Sanju Samson and Suryansh Shedge have come into India's XI, replacing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Washington Sundar. Captain Shreyas Iyer cited pitch and wind conditions as the reason for choosing to bowl.
What is at stake for England in the 5th T20I?
England have already won the series 3-0 and a victory in this match would complete a clean sweep. It would also lift them to the top of the ICC men's T20I rankings, a target captain Harry Brook acknowledged before the match.
Who replaced Rehan Ahmed in England's playing XI?
Left-arm spinner Liam Dawson replaced leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed in England's eleven for the 5th T20I at Southampton.
When and where does the India vs England ODI series begin?
The three-match ODI series between India and England begins on 14 July in Birmingham, immediately following the conclusion of the T20I leg.
