The toss between India and England was delayed on Saturday by 45 minutes after the visitors arrived late at the venue, the Ageas Bowl, for the fifth and last T20I game of the series. While there was no official confirmation, it is understood that the team was stuck in traffic and couldn’t arrive in time for the toss.
The toss, which was originally supposed to happen at 6:30 pm (India time), was eventually pushed to 7:15 pm, and the match, as a result, was given a 7:30 start. A delay of one hour.
India would look to win this contest, having lost the previous three matches after a washout in the first game at Chester-le-Street. It has been a forgettable UK tour for Team India so far. Last month, they played two T20Is against minnows Ireland in Belfast and the world champions shockingly lost both those games there. And there have been three more defeats in England since.
India struggling big time!
At Manchester, the venue of the second T20I, India failed to defend 190 after Ravi Bishnoi conceded 29 runs in the 17th over of the English chase. At Trent Bridge, the visitors folded for 76 in the 12th over as India tasted their biggest defeat by runs. Chasing 202 to win, they fell short by 125 runs. Then, in the last game at Bristol on Thursday, they scored a modest 158/7, which England chased down in the 14th over.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who made his international debut in the second T20I earlier, has proved to be a big disappointment with 15 being his highest score so far. There are reports he may not play in this game. Sanju Samson, whom he had replaced earlier, is expected to return today. Spinner Varun Chakaravarthy and medium pacer Harshit Rana have already been ruled out of this game after they picked up hamstring injuries during the 3rd game. They didn’t play in the last game at Bristol either. They were replaced by Washington Sundar and Prasidh Krishna.
“See, this is the transition phase and we will be making a lot of mistakes. You see a lot of youngsters are playing here in these conditions for the first time. So mistakes will definitely make them realise how important it is to adapt and [it’s important to] have that awareness when you come into the overseas conditions,” Iyer said after the defeat at Bristol.
