India vs England 3rd T20I LIVE SCORE: India Eyes Series Victory with Shami Likely to Miss Out

INDIA'S DOMINANT START TO THE SERIES

India T20I series against England and will be aiming to seal the series with a win in the third match. After two contrasting victories in Kolkata and Chennai, the Indian team is now focused on clinching the series with two games to spare, as they head to Rajkot for the next encounter.

CONTRASTING WINS IN KOLKATA AND CHENNAI

India’s performances in the first two matches have been impressive, showcasing their adaptability to different match situations. In the first T20I at Eden Gardens, India cruised to a comfortable seven-wicket victory, finishing with 43 balls to spare. The second match in Chennai was far more tense, but a match-winning knock from Tilak Varma helped India scrape through by two wickets, with four balls remaining.

ENGLAND’S AGGRESSIVE APPROACH FACES TOUGH TEST

England’s all-out attacking strategy, particularly targeting India’s spinners, nearly worked in Chennai. However, despite their defeat, England is expected to persist with their “Bazball” style of play in the remaining matches. They face an uphill task against an Indian team that has been almost unbeatable at home, with India winning 15 of their last 17 T20Is since the 2024 T20 World Cup. Additionally, India remains unbeaten in their last 17 home series, their only loss being a 2-0 defeat to Australia in February 2019.

INDIA’S EVOLVING GAME PLAN: POWER-HITTING OVER ANCHORS

India’s approach to T20 cricket has evolved, moving away from traditional top-order anchors and middle-order sloggers. Instead, players like Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson often go for power-hitting from the start, even if it means not always securing big opening partnerships. Tilak Varma’s emergence at No. 3 has added depth to the middle order and provided India with another reliable option in the batting lineup.

SURYAKUMAR YADAV’S FORM UNDER SCRUTINY

While India’s batting has been potent overall, captain Suryakumar Yadav’s form has raised some concerns. Despite his leadership and undeniable potential, he has struggled with consistency in recent matches. In this series, he has managed just 12 runs at a strike rate of 120. Since the T20 World Cup, Suryakumar has scored only two fifties and has accumulated 242 runs at an average of 23, prompting some doubts about his current form.

SHAMI LIKELY TO STAY OUT, ARSHDEEP’S PLACE SECURE

In the bowling department, it appears that Mohammed Shami will once again be omitted from the lineup. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak clarified that Shami’s exclusion is not due to fitness issues, but rather tactical decisions. Shami, who has been sidelined since the 2023 World Cup final, is unlikely to feature in the third T20I. Arshdeep Singh, on the other hand, has been impressive with his short-pitched deliveries and is expected to retain his place. Arshdeep has become a key figure in India’s bowling attack and is closing in on becoming the first Indian to take 100 wickets in T20Is.

INDIA'S FOCUS ON SEALING THE SERIES

With everything to play for, India will look to maintain their momentum and wrap up the series with a third straight win, keeping their unbeaten record intact as they approach the business end of the series.