Nottingham, July 7: India made a bold change in their playing XI for the third T20 International against England at Trent Bridge, dropping leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi and handing a debut to pacer Prince Yadav. Skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to field first in the must-win clash.

Bishnoi, who conceded 60 runs in four overs including 29 in a single over during the second T20I in Manchester, was left out after his expensive spell. However, Iyer defended the young spinner, calling the performance “just a hiccup” and a valuable learning experience. “You have to back your bowler. Every player goes through that phase, but it’s a great learning for him,” Iyer said after the toss.

England, unchanged from their previous outing, entered the contest with a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The first match had been abandoned due to rain, while England clinched the second game convincingly. India now face the pressure of winning at Nottingham to avoid conceding an unassailable lead.

Iyer noted that the Trent Bridge wicket looked promising for batting, with one shorter boundary offering opportunities to maximise scoring. England captain Harry Brook admitted he would have chosen to bat first had he won the toss, signalling confidence in his side’s ability to set a strong total.

The playing XIs reflected India’s intent to strengthen their pace attack. Alongside debutant Prince Yadav, India fielded Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Varun Chakravarthy, with Axar Patel providing spin support. England’s line-up featured established names including Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid and Jofra Archer.

With the series delicately poised, the third T20I is expected to be a high-intensity contest. India’s young squad, led by Iyer, will look to bounce back and keep the series alive, while England aim to tighten their grip with another commanding performance.