India drop Bishnoi, elect to field in must-win 3rd T20I vs England at Trent Bridge
Synopsis
India's back is against the wall at Trent Bridge. Trailing 1-0 with the first match washed out, Shreyas Iyer's side dropped a rattled Ravi Bishnoi — who leaked 60 runs including 29 in one over in Manchester — and handed pacer Prince Yadav his chance. A loss here and the series is effectively over.
Key Takeaways
India dropped Ravi Bishnoi after he conceded 60 runs in 4 overs , including 29 in one over , in the second T20I in Manchester .
Pacer Prince Yadav is the sole change for India; England are unchanged.
Captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on 7 July .
England lead the five-match series 1-0 ; the first T20I was abandoned due to rain.
A defeat for India would hand England an unassailable series lead with two matches remaining.
India made one change to their playing XI, dropping leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi and handing a debut to pacer Prince Yadav, as captain Shreyas Iyer chose to bowl first against England in the must-win third T20I of the five-match series at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Tuesday, 7 July. With England leading the series 1-0, India cannot afford another defeat — a loss here would hand the hosts an unassailable advantage with only two matches remaining.
Why Bishnoi Was Dropped
Ravi Bishnoi had a torrid outing in the second T20I in Manchester, conceding 60 runs in his four overs — including a staggering 29 runs in a single over — as England cruised to victory. The team management responded by resting the leggie, bringing in Prince Yadav as the sole change to the Indian side. England, by contrast, named an unchanged XI from Manchester.
What Iyer Said at the Toss
Despite the decision to drop Bishnoi, captain Shreyas Iyer was measured in his assessment of the spinner's difficult night. 'That was just a hiccup, but you have to back your bowler. Every player goes through that phase, but it's a great learning experience for him,' Iyer said after the toss. On the pitch, he added: 'By the looks of it, I feel it's a beautiful wicket. One side is short, so we want to maximise it and see what they do.'
Series Context and Stakes
The five-match series got off to a disrupted start when the first T20I was abandoned due to rain. England then won the second match in Manchester to take a 1-0 lead. A defeat at Trent Bridge would put India 2-0 down with only two games left — effectively ending their series hopes. England captain Harry Brook noted after the toss that he would have chosen to bat had he won it, suggesting both sides saw batting second as the preferred option on this surface.
Playing XIs
India: Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer (capt), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy.
England: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Harry Brook (capt), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue.
The result at Trent Bridge will go a long way in defining whether this series remains competitive or becomes a formality for the home side.
Point of View
But it does not address India's deeper vulnerability: their spin attack is being read with ease by England's aggressive top order. Prince Yadav offers pace variation, but Trent Bridge's short boundary on one side could punish an inexperienced seamer just as harshly. Iyer's decision to bowl first also carries risk — dew in English evening conditions is far less of a factor than in India, meaning the pitch advantage of chasing may be overstated. The real test is whether India's batting can post a total that removes the equation from England's hands entirely.
NationPress
7 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did India drop Ravi Bishnoi for the 3rd T20I?
India dropped Ravi Bishnoi after he conceded 60 runs in four overs — including 29 in a single over — during the second T20I in Manchester, which England won. Pacer Prince Yadav was brought in as his replacement for the must-win third match at Trent Bridge.
Who is Prince Yadav and why was he picked?
Prince Yadav is a pacer who replaced Bishnoi as the only change in India's XI for the third T20I at Trent Bridge on 7 July. He was selected to add seam-bowling variety to the attack after Bishnoi's expensive outing in Manchester.
What is the current series score between India and England?
England lead the five-match T20I series 1-0. The first match was abandoned due to rain, and England won the second T20I in Manchester, making the third match at Trent Bridge a must-win for India.
What did Shreyas Iyer say after winning the toss?
Shreyas Iyer said Bishnoi's performance in Manchester 'was just a hiccup' and stressed the importance of backing bowlers through difficult phases. On the pitch, he noted that one side of the ground is short and India wanted to maximise that advantage by fielding first.
What happens if India lose the 3rd T20I at Trent Bridge?
A defeat at Trent Bridge would put England 2-0 ahead with only two matches remaining in the five-match series, effectively giving them an unassailable lead and the series.
