Fri Jan 31 16:40:00 UTC 2025: ## India’s Middle Order Wobbles Ahead of Crucial T20I Clash Against England
**Rajkot, India** – India faces a crucial fourth T20I against England on Friday, with concerns mounting over the form and fitness of key players. The series, currently 2-1 in India’s favor, hangs in the balance. Sanju Samson’s struggles against express pace, and Rinku Singh’s recent dip in form and fitness issues, are major headaches for the Indian team management.
Samson, despite impressive recent ODI scores, has visibly struggled against England’s fast bowlers, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, failing to cope with their pace and bounce. His technical deficiencies against deliveries exceeding 145 kph are a significant concern, especially with the T20 World Cup looming.
Rinku Singh’s back spasms have also raised concerns. While declared fit for Friday’s match, his recent form has been underwhelming after a strong start to his international career. His absence and subsequent replacements have left a gap in the middle order.
The Indian middle-order’s overall performance against England’s spinner Adil Rashid has also been lackluster, further compounding the team’s woes. The selection dilemma for the fifth match includes weighing Rinku’s uncertain fitness against Shivam Dube’s bowling capabilities and Ramandeep Singh’s finishing potential and seam bowling skills, both being untested against high-quality pace attacks.
The return of Arshdeep Singh, India’s top T20I bowler in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, is also a possibility to bolster the team’s bowling attack and secure a series victory. Head coach Gautam Gambhir faces the pressure of avoiding an embarrassing home series loss to England.
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