India playing 11 England vs
The five-match T20I series between India and England begins this week. India and England 1st The match will be played at Eden Gardens on Wednesday (January 22)..
The upcoming series will be India’s first T20I of 2025 and they will be looking to start the series on a winning note.. With new captain Suryakumar Yadav unbeaten in the T20I series, the men in blue will be looking to extend their unbeaten run.
So as India prepares for the all-important first home game of the new year, we’re taking a look at India’s playing XI for the first T20I.
India XI vs England – England India Tour 2025:
Openers: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma
Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma are set to become India’s opening XI for the first T20I against England. Samson had an impressive outing in India’s final T20I series in the four-match series against South Africa.
While he scored two ducks in the series, he also hit two scintillating centuries. Before that, Samson also hit a century against Bangladesh. The wicketkeeper-batsman sees a similar move against England.
He will have a point to prove after being overlooked for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. While many expected him to be part of the team, the selectors chose Rishabh Pant first.
Samson’s opening partner Abhishek Sharma will also be looking to relish his place in the team and impress with the bat. The southpaw has impressed in the domestic circuit recently, hitting four fifties in his last five List A innings.
Middle-spin batsmen and spinners: Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Reddy, Axar Patel
Captain Suryakumar Yadav will be looking to lead the team from the front as they eye another series win. India have not lost a series since replacing Rohit Sharma as captain and the Mumbai star will be keen to do well in this series as well.
Tilak Varma is set to be the number four batsman in India playing 11 for the first T20I. The left-handed batsman has been a star performer with the bat in the series against South Africa and has hit centuries in the last two losing games. He can create history by scoring another century in the upcoming game.
Rinku Singh will be another reliable option in India’s playing 11. The left-armer has not got many opportunities in recent times and will want to make the most of the chance to showcase his finishing skills against England.
India’s playing XI is likely to have three named openers – Hardik Pandey, Axar Patel and Nitish Reddy.. All three players can change the course of a game with both bat and ball and will look to start the series on a good note.
Bowlers: Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakraborty, Arshdeep Singh
India may have two special pacers and one spinner in the game 11. Veteran pacer Mohammad Shami is set to return to the team from November 2023 as he looks to make his debut for India.
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh is likely to lead the attack while Varun Chakraborty will lead the spin attack.
