T20I with five matches series between India and England will start this week. India and England 1 the match will be played at Eden Gardens on Wednesday (January 22).
The upcoming series will be India’s first T20I assignment in 2025 and they will look to start the series on a winning note. Having not lost a T20I series under new captain Suryakumar Yadav, the Men in Blue will be looking to extend their unbeaten run.
As India prepare for the all-important first home game of the new year, we take a look at the India Playing 11 for the first T20I.
India 11 vs England – England Tour of India 2025:
Openers: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma
Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma were named as the openers in the India Playing 11 for the first T20I against England. Samson had a stunning outing in India’s last T20I assignment which was the four-match series against South Africa.
Although he registered two ducks in the series, he also hit two scintillating centuries. Before that, Samson also hit a century against Bangladesh. The wicketkeeper-batsman will be eyeing a similar performance against England as well.
He will also have something to prove after being overlooked for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. While many expected him to be a part of the team, the selectors chose Rishabh Pant ahead of him.
Samson’s opening partner Abhishek Sharma will also look to impress with the bat and cement his place in the team. The southpaw has recently impressed on the domestic circuit, scoring four fifty-plus runs in his last five List A innings.
Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Reddy, Axar Patel
Captain Suryakumar Yadav will be happy to lead his side from the opener as he eyes another win in the series. India have not lost a series since he replaced Rohit Sharma as captain and the Mumbai star will also want to do well in this series.
Tilak Varma should be India’s top player, playing 11 for the first T20I. The left-handed batsman played with the bat in the series against South Africa, scoring unbeaten centuries in the last two matches. He can create history by scoring another century in the upcoming match.
Rinku Singh will be another reliable option in the India Playing 11. The left-hander has not had too many opportunities in recent times and will look to make the most of them if he gets a chance to show his finishing touches against England.
India Playing 11 is likely to have three designated openers – Hardik Pandya, Axar Pateland Nitish Reddy. All three players can change the course of a game with both bat and ball and will be looking to start the series in a good way.
Bowlers: Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh
India are likely to have two specialist pacers and one spinner in their 11 players. Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami is set to return to the team as he will play his first game for India since November 2023.
Left hand pacer Arshdeep Singh likely to lead the attack while Varun Chakravarthy will lead the spin attack.
