Watch cricket video highlights of England tour of India 2025. Third Twenty/20 between India and England. Venue of the match will be Rajkot.
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In Rajkot, the geographical conditions primarily allow for just two types of surfaces. One resembles the highway adjacent to Niranjan Shah Stadium, while the other is a spin-friendly pitch that Saurashtra, the home team, frequently prepares, just as they did last week. Considering this is a T20I, it’s quite clear what type of surface will be created. Therefore, anticipate a flat pitch that will yield plenty of runs, with the presence of dew likely making the toss critically important once more. England has declared an unchanged XI for the upcoming match.
Jacob Bethell, who was sidelined for the Chennai T20I due to illness, remains on the bench. His substitute, Jamie Smith, made a quick 22 runs off just 12 balls in his first appearance of the series. India is expected to reinstate Shivam Dube into the lineup after he stepped in for the injured Nitish Kumar Reddy. This adjustment will likely see Dhruv Jurel, who played in Chennai because no other batter was available, making way. There’s also a slim chance that Ramandeep Singh could be included.
Liam Livingstone, known for his strong play against spin, has fallen victim to spinners in both matches so far. In Kolkata, he was bowled by a Varun Chakravarthy delivery he misjudged, while in Chennai, he fell to Axar Patel’s bounce and was caught while attempting a pull shot. With India expected to continue their strategy of four spin bowlers, Livingstone must devise a plan that allows him to score at the aggressive rate that has made him popular.
Suryakumar Yadav experienced mixed results in South Africa, and when he gave up his No. 3 position to Tilak Varma for the third and fourth T20Is, the young player excelled with consecutive centuries. Suryakumar recorded low scores of 21, 4, and 1 in three innings there, and has now registered 0 and 12 in his two innings in this series. Returning to Rajkot may bring back fond memories for him, particularly of scoring his first T20I century in India against Sri Lanka in 2023.
India’s impressive record of fifteen wins and two losses in 17 T20Is since clinching the T20 World Cup last June makes them a formidable force in the format. This success has occurred despite the necessity to rotate their players due to a packed cricket schedule. It’s intimidating to consider what they might accomplish with Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav back in the lineup. Under Suryakumar Yadav, the squad exudes a harmonious vibe that makes it difficult to envision how Yashasvi Jaiswal.
A key batter, fits in after the strong performances by Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. The players are showcasing a sense of fearlessness, thriving under the freedom granted by their leader. This has alleviated some of Gautam Gambhir’s concerns in at least one format, as India’s transition following the retirements of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja has been seamless. In contrast, England’s revival in white-ball cricket—often highlighted since their 2019 ODI World Cup victory and 2022 T20 World Cup win—has encountered some difficulties.
Jos Buttler has faced one setback after another, including two disappointing World Cups (ODI in 2023 and T20 in 2024), although he remains hopeful about a resurgence amid the changes. Brendon McCullum’s start as England’s white-ball coach has been particularly challenging, and a series loss in India, following the T20 World Cup disappointment, could represent another significant blow. Jofra Archer’s return, showcasing his pace after dealing with multiple back issues, is promising for England, as is the fierce bowling of Mark Wood.
However, the batting lineup has not performed well in the first two matches, and significant improvement is essential to avoid another series defeat.
