India cricket team will be aiming to sign off their final T20I assignment of the first half of 2025 on a winning note in the IND vs ENG 5th T20I in Mumbai. Having secured the series 3-1 already, the focus will be on out-of-form players Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav to break free from the shackles of poor form. Meanwhile, the attention once again shifts to Mohammed Shami, who has only played one game so far in the series. As for England, the visitors will need to pull up their socks as they eye a consolation win.
IND vs ENG 5th T20I: SKY, Samson in foucs
Samson has been erratic, as ever, so far in this series. After scoring 26 runs in the 1st T20I, the Kerala batter was dismissed for single digit scores in the next three matches. So far, he only has 35 runs from 4 T20Is, delivering way below the expectations, given his calibre at the top-order. Heading into the series as the only Indian batter to get three centuries in a T20I calendar year, Sanju will be aiming to rediscover his form and break free from the shackles of the short-ball troubles that have boggled him.
Another batter who needs to find his touch once again is skipper Suryakumar Yadav. With two ducks and two scores below 20 runs so far in IND vs ENG series, SKY is in dire need to start scoring runs again. As it as so often happened in this series, the number 3 batter being dismissed cheaply has led to the pressure being mounted on the middle-order. Like Samson, Surya has only managed to score 26 runs in 4 games.
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Will Shami get a match?
With the ODIs scheduled to start just a few days later followed by the Champions Trophy, the focus once again shifts to Shami. The veteran pacer made hi comeback in the 3rd T20I after spending 14 months on the sideline. His performance in the match was rusty, the least to say, as he finished with figures of 0/25. Considering that he will play a crucial role in CT 2025, it is important for Shami to get some more game time apart from being directly fielded in the IND vs ENG ODI series. With India bowling coach Morne Morkel hinting at the veteran returning to the mix of things at the Wankhede stadium, it remains to be seen what route India will take.
High-scoring run-affair awaits
IND vs ENG 5th T20I is all set to be a high-scoring run affair. The surface at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai is known to favour batters more and a run fest is on the cards. Bowlers, especially pacers, can count on the pitch to get some assistance. Hence, India’s team combination could see Shami return to the side while the likes of Dhruv Jurel, Ramandeep Singh and Washington Sundar could get some game time. With India having already sealed the series 3-1, changes to the playing XI can be expected.
Only bowling changes likely for England
England are not expected to make any changes to their power-packed batting line-up for IND vs ENG 5th T20I. Instead, they will count on the likes of Salt, Duckett, Brook, Buttler and Bethell to go all guns blazing. The side may want to rest Jofra Archer before the Champions Trophy, which would mean Gus Atkinson could find his way back into the playing XI. After letting the previous games (barring the 3rd T20I) slip out of their hands, the onus will be on the England side to ensure they have the upper hand throughout the contest.
IND vs ENG 5th predicted XIs
India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy
England: Phil Salt (WK), Ben Duckett, Jos Buttler (C), Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood