Ambati Rayudu defended Sanju Samson after his T20I exclusion, reminding fans of Samson's T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament award. While welcoming 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's debut, Rayudu emphasized Samson's recent match-winning contributions.

Samson's omission follows a single low score, sparking debate despite Sooryavanshi's promising, albeit brief, innings. England leads the series after a victory.