BEERAM SURYA
3:21 AM
ENG VS IND 1ST T20I: PRE-MATCH ANALYSIS
Match Details
England vs India
3rd July 2018, 22:00 IST
Old Trafford, Manchester
England vs India
3rd July 2018, 22:00 IST
Old Trafford, Manchester
Venue
Before the tracks in England started slowing down, Manchester had one of the liveliest wickets in the country. The first hour of play always helped the seamers get extra bounce, and the swing bowlers flourished here as well. However, in the recent past, the wicket has started to help the spinners – offering turn and low bounce. If the batsmen can navigate the googlies with ease – and there will be plenty in the game – a score of 185 should be achievable.
Before the tracks in England started slowing down, Manchester had one of the liveliest wickets in the country. The first hour of play always helped the seamers get extra bounce, and the swing bowlers flourished here as well. However, in the recent past, the wicket has started to help the spinners – offering turn and low bounce. If the batsmen can navigate the googlies with ease – and there will be plenty in the game – a score of 185 should be achievable.
Preview
The highly anticipated series between England and India gets underway with three T20Is, which will be followed by three ODI games and then five Tests.
Both teams have a number of match-winners and big-hitters who can take the game away at any moment. The placidity of the pitch will further help the batsmen to score their runs, and it will boil down to the bowling unit to dismiss the rival team and walk away with the game.
Both England and India have in-form pacers. And while India are slightly ahead in the spin department, England’s Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid can in no way be ruled out.
With a number of selection headaches for the two squads, the first T20I will be an opportunity for the captains to sort out their playing 11. This series will also help one of the two teams garner some very crucial momentum that will be carried over for the next nine weeks.
The Indian side were pushed to the back foot after their premier strike-bowler Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the series with a thumb injury, along with all-rounder Washington Sundar, the hero of the Nidahas Trophy in March. However, they were replaced by two able players – Deepak Chahar and Krunal Pandya respectively.
The highly anticipated series between England and India gets underway with three T20Is, which will be followed by three ODI games and then five Tests.
Both teams have a number of match-winners and big-hitters who can take the game away at any moment. The placidity of the pitch will further help the batsmen to score their runs, and it will boil down to the bowling unit to dismiss the rival team and walk away with the game.
Both England and India have in-form pacers. And while India are slightly ahead in the spin department, England’s Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid can in no way be ruled out.
With a number of selection headaches for the two squads, the first T20I will be an opportunity for the captains to sort out their playing 11. This series will also help one of the two teams garner some very crucial momentum that will be carried over for the next nine weeks.
The Indian side were pushed to the back foot after their premier strike-bowler Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the series with a thumb injury, along with all-rounder Washington Sundar, the hero of the Nidahas Trophy in March. However, they were replaced by two able players – Deepak Chahar and Krunal Pandya respectively.
Head to Head
Total matches – 11
England – 6 wins (55%)
India – 5 wins (45%)
Total matches – 11
England – 6 wins (55%)
India – 5 wins (45%)
Form
England – LLLWW (decent form)
India – WWWWW (perfect form)
England – LLLWW (decent form)
India – WWWWW (perfect form)
Predicted Starting 11
England
Jason Roy, Jos Buttler (wk), Eoin Morgan (capt), Alex Hales, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Liam Plunkett, David Willey, Adil Rashid, Tom Curran
England
Jason Roy, Jos Buttler (wk), Eoin Morgan (capt), Alex Hales, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Liam Plunkett, David Willey, Adil Rashid, Tom Curran
India
Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (capt), Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul
Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (capt), Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul
Players to watch
England
Jos Buttler (10 credits) – Buttler has been in tremendous form over the last two months, first in the IPL and then for England. He scored five consecutive fifties in India, which earned him a Test call-up. He then performed brilliantly in the two Tests against Pakistan and followed that by a Man of the Series showing in the ODI series with Australia, where he scored two fifties and one hundred. In the lone T20I against the same team, he was pushed to open, and he responded with a 30-ball 61.
With Jasprit Bumrah ruled out of the T20 series, India’s bowling up-front looks a tad weak – giving Buttler a chance to wreak havoc. His experience of playing against Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal in the IPL will work in his favour as well.
Adil Rashid (9 credits) – The Indians might be considered the best players of spin, but they have been troubled by precisely the spinners in recent memory. Even in the IPL, the regulars in the Indian side struggled against the googlies of Rashid Khan and Sunil Narine. They might be on their toes against Adil Rashid too, who picked up 3 wickets in the T20I game with Australia.
England
Jos Buttler (10 credits) – Buttler has been in tremendous form over the last two months, first in the IPL and then for England. He scored five consecutive fifties in India, which earned him a Test call-up. He then performed brilliantly in the two Tests against Pakistan and followed that by a Man of the Series showing in the ODI series with Australia, where he scored two fifties and one hundred. In the lone T20I against the same team, he was pushed to open, and he responded with a 30-ball 61.
With Jasprit Bumrah ruled out of the T20 series, India’s bowling up-front looks a tad weak – giving Buttler a chance to wreak havoc. His experience of playing against Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal in the IPL will work in his favour as well.
Adil Rashid (9 credits) – The Indians might be considered the best players of spin, but they have been troubled by precisely the spinners in recent memory. Even in the IPL, the regulars in the Indian side struggled against the googlies of Rashid Khan and Sunil Narine. They might be on their toes against Adil Rashid too, who picked up 3 wickets in the T20I game with Australia.
India
Virat Kohli (10.5 credits) – Virat Kohli was seen back on the field after 6 weeks during the 2nd T20I against Ireland, and he will be raring to go in a nation where he hasn’t tasted much success. The failures of 2014 will still be fresh in his memory, and the Indian captain would be eager to start the tour with a bang and take some momentum into the Test matches as well. Kohli will have the duty of seeing off the overs of Ali and Rashid and then accelerate once the death overs near.
Yuzvendra Chahal (8.5 credits) – Chahal has bowled a lot at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during the IPL, and with the conditions likely to be similar in Old Trafford, the wrist-spinner is a crucial member in the side. With small boundaries and a flat track in use, Chahal should not feel out of place; instead, he would look to use his variations and experience to dry up the flow of runs.
Virat Kohli (10.5 credits) – Virat Kohli was seen back on the field after 6 weeks during the 2nd T20I against Ireland, and he will be raring to go in a nation where he hasn’t tasted much success. The failures of 2014 will still be fresh in his memory, and the Indian captain would be eager to start the tour with a bang and take some momentum into the Test matches as well. Kohli will have the duty of seeing off the overs of Ali and Rashid and then accelerate once the death overs near.
Yuzvendra Chahal (8.5 credits) – Chahal has bowled a lot at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during the IPL, and with the conditions likely to be similar in Old Trafford, the wrist-spinner is a crucial member in the side. With small boundaries and a flat track in use, Chahal should not feel out of place; instead, he would look to use his variations and experience to dry up the flow of runs.
Doubtful pick
Deepak Chahar (IND) @ 8 credits
The young quick was in fine form in the IPL, picking up 10 wickets in 12 games with an economy rate of 7.28. However, it is unlikely that he will be picked for the first match against England, as either Siddarth Kaul or Umesh Yadav will play alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The swing bowler was included in the side after Bumrah was ruled out, but he will likely have to wait his chance.
Deepak Chahar (IND) @ 8 credits
The young quick was in fine form in the IPL, picking up 10 wickets in 12 games with an economy rate of 7.28. However, it is unlikely that he will be picked for the first match against England, as either Siddarth Kaul or Umesh Yadav will play alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The swing bowler was included in the side after Bumrah was ruled out, but he will likely have to wait his chance.
Value pick
Suresh Raina (IND) @ 8.5 credits
Raina was timing the ball brilliantly in the T20Is against Ireland and he should be a handy batter in the middle-order for the upcoming series as well. He has the skill to send the ball away for long sixes and also to finish the innings with a flourish. With Rohit, Dhawan and Kohli expected to lay a solid foundation for him, Raina, who is relatively strong against the spinners, will have the liberty to attack from the word go.
Suresh Raina (IND) @ 8.5 credits
Raina was timing the ball brilliantly in the T20Is against Ireland and he should be a handy batter in the middle-order for the upcoming series as well. He has the skill to send the ball away for long sixes and also to finish the innings with a flourish. With Rohit, Dhawan and Kohli expected to lay a solid foundation for him, Raina, who is relatively strong against the spinners, will have the liberty to attack from the word go.
Suggested team balance
All-rounders and big-hitters should be the modus operandi for the first T20I game. The pacers will not get much help, so no more than 2 quicks should be picked. Fill your side with slow bowlers from either side to build a balanced combination.
All-rounders and big-hitters should be the modus operandi for the first T20I game. The pacers will not get much help, so no more than 2 quicks should be picked. Fill your side with slow bowlers from either side to build a balanced combination.
