Synopsis
On January 21, England announced their squad for the first T20I against India at Eden Gardens, marking the start of Brendon McCullum's era in white-ball cricket. The team features key players like Phil Salt and Jofra Archer, while India has yet to finalize their lineup.Key Takeaways
- England's playing XI includes Phil Salt and Jos Buttler.
- Brendon McCullum starts his white-ball era with this series.
- The T20I series will lead to ODIs and the Champions Trophy.
- India's squad features returning player Mohammad Shami.
- Matches will take place across multiple Indian cities.
Kolkata, Jan 21 (NationPress) England has revealed their lineup for the inaugural T20I match against India, which will kick off on Wednesday at Eden Gardens. This match signifies the start of the Brendon McCullum era in white-ball cricket for the team.
England's wicketkeeper and opening batsman will be Phil Salt, who gained recognition during the 2024 IPL season. He will partner with Ben Duckett from Nottinghamshire. Captain Jos Buttler is set to bat at the third position, while the pace attack will be spearheaded by Jofra Archer and Mark Wood.
McCullum, a strong advocate of Bazball cricket in the longest format, is transitioning into white-ball cricket with this five-match T20I series, followed by three ODIs against India, leading into the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and Dubai in February-March.
In contrast, India has yet to disclose their playing XI but has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series.
Mohammad Shami makes his return to the national team after recovering from an ankle injury that required surgery, sidelining him for almost a year. Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has kept his position in the squad following a stellar performance during India's tour of South Africa.
Nitesh Kumar Reddy has also been included in the squad after showcasing impressive skills in the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy.
McCullum's England will commence their T20I journey in Kolkata on Wednesday before moving on to Chennai (Jan 25), Rajkot (Jan 28), Pune (Jan 31), and Mumbai (Feb 2) for the remaining four T20Is.
The ODIs are scheduled to take place at Nagpur (Feb 6), Cuttack (Feb 9), and Ahmedabad (Feb 12). Following this, England will travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.
England's XI for the first T20I: Ben Duckett, Phil Salt (WK), Jos Buttler (C), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
