IND vs ENG: Ravichandran Ashwin explains why Nitish Kumar Reddy should play first T20I at Eden Gardens
The much-awaited five-match T20I series in between India and England begins today at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. WITH Surya Kumar Yadav leading the men in blue and Jos Buttler captain of England, fans can expect an exciting contest between two of the most exciting teams in world cricket. This series promises to be a real cracker, with both sides looking to prove their dominance in the shortest format of the game.
Ravichandran Ashwin picks his India XI for the opening match
Ravichandran Ashwin has shared his favorite playing XI for the first T20I, with a special mention to Nitish Kumar Reddyinclusion. While Ashwin made some standard picks for the team, he specifically addressed the possible dilemma of choosing between Nitish and Washington Sundar.
Ashwin explained that the key factor in choosing Reddy over Sundar was the conditions at the Eden Gardens, where dew is likely to play a significant role. According to Ashwin, Reddy’s skills would be better suited to the conditions, making him a more productive option for the evening game.
“Playing XI is quite simple. There may be a contest between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar, but at Eden, with Dew likely to play a significant role, India may opt for Nitish,” Ashwin shared on his YouTube channel.
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A real test for the Indian team
Although India have been on a dominant run in the recent T20I series against Bangladesh and South Africa, Ashwin warned that this series will be a much tougher challenge. He pointed out that Bangladesh represented limited competition, and South Africa carried the offense in the second series, although their hitting was impressive. Ashwin was clear that the series against Bangladesh should not be considered a true reflection of India’s strength.
“Bangladesh were a weak team, while South Africa carried the attack in the second series, although their batting was excellent. We played against Bangladesh but they were no match for India. I think that series was out of sync. I don’t think that series should be considered a true reflection of our strength,” Ashwin added.
Ashwin emphasized that this new era of fearless cricket in India will face its biggest test against a high-quality England team. The upcoming series is expected to challenge India’s mettle and provide a more accurate measure of their T20I prowess under Suryakumar.
“This new era of fearless cricket in India will be tested against a high quality England. This series will be a real test of our abilities,” Ashwin added on.
Ashwin’s India XI for the first T20I against England
Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami
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