India has faced a tough time lately, losing two T20I series in a row since their triumphant T20 World Cup 2026. Under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, the team, which is still finding its footing, has struggled to adapt during the England tour. After a dismal 76 all out in Nottingham, they suffered a 9-wicket defeat in Bristol, leading to criticism aimed at Iyer’s captaincy and the team management led by head coach Gautam Gambhir. As they gear up for the fifth and final T20I of the series, Parthiv Patel, assistant coach of the Gujarat Titans, has proposed two changes to the playing eleven. The former India wicketkeeper-batter believes Washington Sundar and vice-captain Tilak Varma should make way for Suryansh Shedge and Sanju Samson, respectively. Samson’s exclusion has raised eyebrows, especially since he managed only six runs across three innings during the UK tour. Many have voiced their frustration over the team management's decision to not give him more chances, particularly after his standout performances in the T20 World Cup 2026, especially considering he was either rested or dropped for the Zimbabwe T20I series. Also Read | ENG vs IND: Biggest Reasons Behind Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Poor Start in T20Is Meanwhile, Varma, India’s vice-captain, has struggled, scoring just 51 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 18.60. While Parthiv advocates for Samson to step in for Tilak, this could create another dilemma. Although Samson has typically batted in the middle order, he reclaimed his opening spot due to India’s issues with off-spin. In his time at number five, Samson has accumulated 138 runs from eight innings at a strike rate of 127.77, and he has also batted at the sixth and seventh positions, with scores of 12 and 19, respectively. As India heads into the fifth T20I at Southampton, they are eager to end the England tour on a high note and avoid a 4-0 series defeat. The selection of the team and a boost in batting performance will be vital as they also strive to maintain their No. 1 ranking in the ICC Men's T20I team standings.