Introduction
England will face India in the second T20I at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Saturday, 9th July. The match is due to begin at 2.30 pm local time.
1st T20I recap
From an Indian perspective the first t20I at Southampton could scarcely have gone better. Winning the toss and batting first, they made 198/8 from their 20 overs, the highlight being an innings of 51 from Hardik Pandya, whilst both Deepak Hooda and Suryakumar Yadav both made decent contributions with the bat.
And then Pandya showed his versatility with the ball, taking 4 – 33, as the home side were bowled out for just 148, giving the visitors victory by 50 runs.
Here are some key talking points from the match
Rohit Sharma returns
Covid meant that Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, missed the Fifth Test at Edgbaston. It is hypothetical, but his side might not have lost that match had he been available. However, he returned for this match, and he undoubtedly makes India stronger in all form of cricket. He may only have made 24 with the ball, but he captained the side shrewdly.
Pandya back to full fitness
Hardik Pandya has been struggling with a back injury for several years, and, in October 2019, he underwent surgery to try and correct the issue. However, his road back to full fitness has been a long one and has meant that he has struggled with his bowling, costing him his place in India’s T20I squad for the World Cup last year.
However, he has since undergone an extensive rehabilitation programme, and has been training hard to regain his fitness. The hard work spent in the gym is beginning to pay off if this match is any yardstick, and a fully fit Hardik Pandya is definitely a boon to India’s white ball sides.
Singh makes his debut
Those calling for Arshdeep Singh to be given his chance at international level finally got their wish. The 23-year old left-armed seamer had impressed in this year’s Indian T20 league, especially with his ability to bowl the death overs under pressure, but although he had been included in several international squads, he had not made it into the starting XI before.
He can be satisfied with what he achieved, taking 2 wickets and conceding just 18 runs in his spell.
England’s new white ball captain makes a terrible start
Most things have gone right for Jos Buttler in the past few months, he had a brilliant season in the Indian T20 league with the Rajasthan Royals, winning both the Orange Cap for the leading run scorer in the competition, but being named MVP as well.
And, when Eoin Morgan announced his international retirement, he was the logical choice to be named England’s white ball captain. This though was an inauspicious start to his life as skipper. Not only did his team suffer a heavy loss in front of their home fans, but he was out for a first ball duck, beaten by an inswinger from Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
The weather
The weather in Birmingham on Saturday will be largely sunny, with temperatures around 23 degrees Celsius. There is no rain forecast.
The teams
England will likely go with the same team. They deliberately did not choose any of the players who were involved in the fifth test for this series, and, although they would not have enjoyed losing in the fashion that they did in Southampton, they will feel those who played deserve a second chance.
India, though, have an embarrassment of riches from which to choose. Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and Shreyas Iyer have all joined the T20I squad, after being given the day off following the Edgbaston Test. Some of them are expected to play, at least, which will be unfair on the team that played so well on Thursday. But with the T20I World Cup starting in just three months’ time, this is no time for sentiment.
Prediction
This is a return to the scene of the crime as far as the Indian team are concerned, and, for those involved in the Fifth Test, a quick chance to banish some bad memories. On the face of it, India have the stronger team, but they will need to be wary of Buttler. The English captain failed with the bat last time, but he rarely misses out for long.
If they can contain him, then India can win the match and the series.
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