IND vs ENG: Top 5 key player battles to watch out for in 1st T20I, Kolkata

The IND vs ENG T20I series will kick off on January 22 at Eden Gardens.
Rarely does a T20I series get such a hype as the upcoming India vs England series has. The five-match T20I series will see clashes between two limited-overs powerhouses: India and England are two of the only three teams who have won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup twice.
India had an absolutely dominating 2024 in T20Is. They won the T20 World Cup 2024 and then won four bilateral series in a row, three under new skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
While England did it years ago, India have, in the last couple of years, adopted the aggressive approach in white-ball cricket. More records could be shattered in the first T20I in Kolkata. The Eden Gardens has become a batting paradise as seen from the scores here in IPL 2024.
With both teams filled with T20 superstars, let’s look at the five key player battles in the first T20I to keep an eye on.
IND vs ENG: Top 5 key player battles to watch out for in 1st T20I, Kolkata
1. Sanju Samson vs Mark Wood
Sanju Samson has been in sizzling form in T20Is recently, having smashed three centuries in his last five T20I innings. He will come up against the fiery Mark Wood, who is making his comeback to international cricket after an injury layoff forced due to an elbow issue.
Wood has high pace and hits the deck hard, while Samson likes the ball coming onto the bat. Their battle in the powerplay would be exciting.
2. Suryakumar Yadav vs Jofra Archer
Suryakumar Yadav’s first runs in international came off a sensational scoop six to Jofra Archer in 2021. The duo would resume their battle in this series.
Archer is a menace with both new ball and old ball, while Suryakumar is one of the best T20 batsmen in the world. Their contest could be the deciding factor in the 1st T20I.
3. Hardik Pandya vs Adil Rashid
A middle-overs battle to look forward to in the IND vs ENG 1st T20I will be between Hardik Pandya and Adil Rashid. Both are highly experienced T20 players and both are great at their skillset.
Pandya is a spin marauder and has a penchant for hitting sixes to spinners, while Rashid is one of the most experienced T20 spinners in the world, and someone who has bowled in all kinds of situations and against the most destructive batters.
4. Arshdeep Singh vs Phil Salt
Arshdeep Singh had a great 2024 in T20Is, as he picked up 36 wickets in 18 games and was the joint-leading wicket-taker at the T20 World Cup 2024.
He will take the new ball for India in the IND vs ENG 1st T20I and will come up against Phil Salt, who smashed 350 runs in IPL 2024 at the Eden Gardens at a strike rate of 185. Arshdeep would look to swing the ball both ways to outfox Salt, while the England opener would be aiming for a big launchpad in the powerplay.
5. Varun Chakravarthy vs Harry Brook
Varun Chakravarthy has made a successful comeback to the Indian T20I team, taking 17 wickets in his last seven games including a five-for in South Africa. He bowled impressively at the Eden in IPL 2024, managing 10 wickets at a tidy economy of 8.74.
Can Chakravarthy maintain his performance against the rising England sensation Harry Brook, who averaged 54 in T20Is in 2024 and struck at 150? We will find out in the 1st T20I in Kolkata.
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