India Vs England 2nd T20I Predicted Playing XIs: Sanju Samson could retain his place despite poor run of form

With Abhishek Sharma smashing his way to 49 and 59 in two of the last three games, the pressure is entirely on Samson to get some runs under his belt

Published: July 4, 2026, 12:02 PM IST

https://www.india.com/sports/india-vs-england-2nd-t20i-predicted-playing-xis-sanju-samson-could-retain-his-place-despite-poor-run-of-form-8465139/

India and England face off in the 2nd T20I at Old Trafford in Manchester, eager to get the series moving after the opening match in Chester-le-Street was washed out due to rain. With the 5-match series effectively reduced to four games, neither side has any room for error as they will look to build early momentum.

India enter this tour under new leadership with Shreyas Iyer taking over the captaincy duties and Tilak Varma named as his vice-captain. The Men in Blue are seeking a strong response following a disappointing 2-0 series defeat against Ireland just last week.

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Despite that setback, the top order showed glimpses of destructive form in the rain-abandoned first game, where explosive opener Abhishek Sharma smashed 59 off 24 balls and skipper Iyer anchored the innings with a solid 68. Shivam Dube also added a quickfire 42 which helped India post 189/7.

The focus of attention during the next few games would be Sanju Samson and whether he can weather the Sooryavanshi storm that is building up on the sidelines. With Indian cricket discovering the generational talent of Sooryavanshi, Samson’s margin for error has become minimal and the T20 World Cup halo alone can’t save him.

With Abhishek Sharma smashing his way to 49 and 59 in two of the last three games, the pressure is entirely on Samson to get some runs under his belt.

In the opening game that was washed out, Samson looked miserable scoring a single run off seven balls and not for once did it seem that he is trying to take the high-risk high-reward route.

However, it is not just Samson who is struggling in this batting order. The highly talented Tilak Varma’s held-back approach in the middle overs is also an issue. Varma simply seems incapable of pushing the scoring rate once slow bowlers come into operation or seamers take pace off their deliveries.

In 12 T20I games in 2026, Varma has been able to hit only 12 sixes, which is one per game. And that statistic is poor for anyone who is seen as a finisher.

England, led by Harry Brook, are playing their first T20I assignment since their exit against India in the semi-finals of the 2026 T20 World Cup back in March. The hosts boast a formidable, well-balanced squad core with explosive match-winners like Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, and Sam Curran. The return of Jofra Archer will also boost the Three Lions.