Ind vs Eng 1st T20: Arshdeep Singh creates history at the Eden Gardens; Varun Chakravarthy responds with two wickets in an over to resist the English building innings
Jos Buttler stands a ENG lone warrior in front of Brute Indian bowling attack (Image Credit: X)

Ind vs Eng 1st T20: The India vs England T20I series was always one of the most highly anticipated series in the world, as the two giants of the shortest format of the game clashed against each other in the 5-match series.

India shocked all with their opening decision of not picking Mohammed Shami, the veteran fast bowler in the 11, as they decided to start off with 3 frontline spinners in Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakravarthy.

The decision seemed childish in front of the brutal English batting attack; however, Hardik Pandya once again stepped up to share the new ball with the rising Indian speedster Arshdeep Singh.

Arshdeep Singh delivers for his skipper

Arshdeep Singh picks 2 wickets for India against England openers (Image Credit: X)

Another stunning opening spell from the young and dynamic Punjab mail from India. The left-arm pacer picked 96 wickets in his short T20I career, with just 60 appearances made over the last three years from 2022 to 2024.

Arshdeep was also an instrumental part of the winning campaign of India in the T20 World, as he was the highest wicket-taker for them on the bowling-favoring tracks of the USA.

This time around, the skipper, SKY’s most trusted aid with the new ball, Arshdeep, was right on the money as he picked the early wickets of the two English openers in the very first two overs of his spell. Salt and Duckett were his 97th and 98th wickets, as he turned India’s highest wicket-taker in the shortest format, going past Yuzi Chahal, his teammate for PBKS in IPL 2025.

Chakravarthy continues his dominance at the Eden Gardens

After the early wickets from Arshdeep, the English seemed to creep back into the game, with the skipper Buttler leading the way from the front alongside the most in-form batter, Harry Brook.

Just when Harry Brook and Jos Buttler created a buzz with their fearless batting, Varun Chakravarthy turned the tables in his second over of the match. A sharp turner dismissed Brook, while the very fifth ball of the over was when Liam Livingstone looked totally deceived by Chakravarthy’s line of the ball as it took off his leg stump.

Chakravarthy’s double-wicket over brought the Indians back into the game while the Englishmen looked busy again, nudging off singles, with the experienced skipper on the pitch alongside the youngster Jacob Bethell.

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