ENG v IND 2026: WATCH- “We want Sanju”- Fans chant at Gautam Gambhir and co after humiliating defeat in Nottingham

Sanju Samson was removed from India XI after scoring 6 runs in three T20Is on UK tour.

By Jatin Sharma - 08 Jul, 2026

Following the Men in Blue's crushing 125-run defeat to England in the third T20I on Tuesday, July 7, at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, ardent Indian team supporters called for Sanju Samson's return to the squad.  

Midway through the tour, the star wicketkeeper-batter was removed from the starting lineup, leaving the Shreyas Iyer-led team without a victory in five games.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a teenage superstar, took Sanju Samson's place in the starting lineup after he managed just six runs in the first three games of the Ireland and England tour.

Ishan Kishan and Prabhsimran Singh have been selected as wicketkeepers for the three Zimbabwe T20Is, while Samson has not been selected either.

As Gautam Gambhir, Tilak Varma, and the Indian squad left for their bus following the match, a throng of supporters yelled Sanju Samson's name. This was the first time India had lost by more than 100 runs in T20I history.

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Phil Salt led the England innings with a brilliant 70 in 44 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes. He was ably supported by Jos Buttler (38), and then Sam Curran hammered 41* runs in 24 balls with 4 fours as England posted 201/7 in 20 overs.

In the face of some superb bowling from England pacers Josh Tongue and Jofra Archer, the Indian batting collapsed.  The remaining batters failed to reach double digits, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ishan Kishan scoring 13 apiece, and Abhishek Sharma and Axar Patel scoring 10.  

As India was bowled out for 76 runs and lost a T20I by more than 100 runs for the first time, Jofra Archer with 3/29 and Josh Tongue with 4/28 were England's primary destroyers. India's highest T20I defeat was by 125 runs.

The fourth T20I is scheduled to be held in Bristol on Thursday, July 9.

By Jatin Sharma - 08 Jul, 2026

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