After a dominant win in the first T20I at Kolkata, India is ready to take on England in the second T20I on January 25 at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The match will start at 7:00 PM IST. India lead the five-match series 1-0, and England will be eager to bounce back from their earlier defeat. India is more likely to focus on their strengths, as captain Suryakumar Yadav already said that they have worked on their strengths by playing only one specialist pacer in the first T20I. Indeed, the team will capitalise on spin-friendly pitches in Chennai again to focus on the strengths. This means that Mohammed Shami, who missed out in the first match, might have to wait a little longer.
India’s strong start with young guns
In the opening match in Kolkata, India won convincingly by seven wickets, chasing down 132 in just 12.5 overs. Abhishek Sharma stole the show with an explosive 79 off 34 balls. Indian bowlers worked well together, restricting England to a modest total of 132 runs. From England, only Jos Buttler put up a fight for England with a resolute 68, but the rest of the batters struggled to perform in the match, looking vulnerable against India’s spin attack.
Challenges for England
As the series moves to Chennai, England needs to regroup and fix the issues that surfaced in the first match. Changes in the lineup might be made, with players joining to strengthen the bowling attack. Brydon Carse comes in for Gus Atkinson, while Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith also makes it into the squad. England’s batters will aim to adjust and deliver a better performance in this crucial match. The stage is set for an exciting encounter as both teams vie for control in this thrilling series.
India is in good shape
On the other hand, India will aim to keep their momentum going. The team has supported players like Abhishek Sharma to play freely, a strategy that worked well in the first game. With spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel in good form, India hopes to dominate again in the spin-friendly conditions of Chennai.
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IND vs ENG pitch report
The pitch in Chennai is known for being spin-friendly, and given the difficulties the English batsmen had with spin in the first game, this is unlikely to change. However, the soil used for the match—either red or black—can affect other factors like bounce and seam movement for fast bowlers with the new ball. This could provide some assistance to the pacers early on, adding an interesting dimension to the game.
India’s playing XI for IND vs ENG 2nd T20I
India will most likely go with the same playing XI as the first T20I, however, there’s suspense on Mohammed Shami’s fitness, he is most likely to make his presence into the later stage of the series.
India predicted XI: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy/Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakravarthy.
England predicted XI: Ben Duckett, Phil Salt (wk), Jos Buttler (c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell/Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.
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