India vs England, First T20I: Three-player battles to watch out for

India vs England, First T20I: Three-player battles to watch out for
Key Player Battles India vs England (Image Credit: X)

India vs England: The India cricket team and the England cricket team are going to play a T20I series, starting from January 22. This series comprises 5 T20I matches going to be played in Eden Gardens (Kolkata), MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai), SCA Stadium (Rajkot), MCA Stadium (Pune), and Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai).

India’s lineup is built on depth and adaptability, with consistent performers like Suryakumar Yadav anchoring the middle order and Hardik Pandya offering explosive finishing capabilities. Emerging talents such as Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma provide stability and flair at the top, ensuring a strong foundation.

However, now, after seeking India’s talent house, England’s squad looks full of aggression and experience, led by skipper Jos Buttler. Big hitters like Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone in the middle order boast the English lineup. Both teams have immense power-packed players, while bowling is what can change the course of the game for the series.

Here are the three-player battles to watch out for in the India vs. England first T20I:

1: Jos Buttler vs. Axar Patel

Jos Buttler vs. Axar Patel (Image Credit: ESPNcricinfo)

The English skipper has often been a matter of concern for any opposition, as he has been destructive with his scoring ability in the powerplay. To resist his scoring rate, Axar Patel, the left-arm orthodox, is known for his quirky use of angles and varying his pace, which often troubles the batters. Buttler’s and Axar’s rivalry has intensified over the years in both international cricket as well as the IPL.

However, Buttler is also not one of the batters to be feared for his weakness, as Buttler can often launch attacks straight down the pitch targeting the long-on boundary while also improvising with sweep and reverse sweep shots, which he might use if Axar bowls in the powerplay.

2: Suryakumar Yadav vs. Jofra Archer

Suryakumar Yadav vs. Jofra Archer (Image Credit: Hindustan Times)

Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav is widely known for his innovative and aggressive strokeplay; he is an explosive batter who holds the ability to dominate bowlers in the middle overs. While Englishman Archer has been on and off the field owing to his injury threat looming over him, yet he can be a deadly combination alongside the two other lehal pacers, Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson, both of whom can clock nearly 150 km/h.

Jofra Archer will likely target Suryakumar Yadav with pace and short balls, testing his reflexes, and SKY will look to counter with his innovative shots. Surya’s aggressive batting against Archer’s fiery pace will be a highlight, especially during the crucial middle overs.

3: Sanju Samson vs. Adil Rashid

Adil Rashid vs Sanju Samson (Image Credit: X)

Sanju Samson, since the conclusion of the previous T20 World Cup, has been a regular in the Indian Playing 11 for the shortest format of the game, while his dominance rose to fame only in the absence of Indian batters Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

However, his sheer domination over the opposition could only be resisted if England launched their lead spinner, Adil Rashid, against him, who could counter him with his quirky googlies and off-the-deck deliveries.

ALSO READ: Ind vs Eng Match Prediction & Probable Playing XI – Who Will Win 1st Match

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