IND vs ENG: 3 big takeaways from India's squad for T20I series

The IND vs ENG T20I series will get underway on January 22.

After a disappointing test season, the Indian cricket team will shift back their focus on white-ball cricket. They will host England for five T20Is and three ODIs before flying to Dubai for their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 matches.

The IND vs ENG T20I series will be played from January 22. And while the IND vs ENG ODI series would hog the attention of the selectors and fans more, the T20I series is important in its own ways as the Suryakumar Yadav-led unit builds itself for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 at home.

The BCCI announced India’s squad for T20I series against England on January 11. There is one huge inclusion and one huge omission. The selectors have also taken an interesting decision regarding a couple of all-rounders. Let’s see these major talking points.

IND vs ENG: 3 big takeaways from India’s squad for T20I series

Mohammed Shami returns

Firstly, the biggest news is that fast bowler Mohammed Shami is set to return to international cricket after over 14 months, his last outing in India jersey being the ICC World Cup 2023 final.

After that, he underwent an ankle surgery in February last year. He made his return to domestic cricket November 2024. He played in one Ranji match, all nine Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches and three Vijay Hazare Trophy games. During this, he sustained swelling on his knee and consequently missed the latter part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25.

He’s been declared fit now and will mark his international comeback with the IND vs ENG T20I series, and is expected to feature in the following ODI series as well. If he retains his fitness and bowling rhythm, Shami would be a lock in India’s Champions Trophy squad, which would be crucial as Jasprit Bumrah remains under an injury cloud for now.

Axar Patel elevated to vice-captaincy

In an interesting decision, the BCCI selectors have named Axar Patel as India’s vice-captain for the IND vs ENG T20I series.

Until last year’s ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Hardik Pandya was the white-ball vice-captain but Suryakumar Yadav got the captaincy role after Rohit Sharma retired, and Shubman Gill was named the new white-ball deputy for the Sri Lanka tour.

Now, with Gill rested, Axar has been handed the responsibility of the T20I vice-captaincy despite Pandya being in the squad.

No Rishabh Pant?

Sanju Samson made himself undroppable by smashing three centuries in his last five T20I innings. He’s pushed a strong case now to be a first-choice opener even when Gill and Jaiswal are available.

Pant was India’s first-choice keeper-batsman during the T20 World Cup 2024 and in two of the three T20Is in Sri Lanka last year. His returns in T20Is have been unimpressive: average of 23 after 76 T20Is and a strike rate of 127.

While it’s likely the case that Pant is rested from the IND vs ENG T20I series after playing in all five BGT tests, Samson has made a compelling case now to be the first-choice keeper-batsman in the T20I side.

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