New Delhi: England Cricket Board (ECB) has announced the playing X1 for the first T20I against India at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on January 22, Wednesday. White ball captain Jos Buttler will play as a specialist batter while Phil Salt will keep wickets in the opening match of the white-ball tour which comprises five T20Is and three ODIs.
England have picked four speedsters for the series opener with Mark Wood returning to the lineup from injury. The right-arm pacer played his last international match in June against South Africa during T20 World Cup 2024.
New IPL recruits named in McCullum’s first playing X1
Young all-rounder Jacob Bethell, who was bought by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction, will play his first match on Indian soil. Bethell was recently plying his trade in the Big Bash League in Australia for Melbourne Renegades.
Chennai Super Kings recruit Jamie Overton also features in the playing X1 which also boasts the likes of Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson. Ben Duckett is set to open the batting alongside Salt.
Firepower with bat and ball 💥
Brendon McCullum has named the first white-ball team of his reign for tomorrow’s opening IT20 v India 💪 pic.twitter.com/DSFdaWVPrB
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 21, 2025
Start of a new era
After transforming the Test side since being appointed in 2022, the former New Zealand opener will take on both roles until 2027.
Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, fast bowlers Brydon Carse and Saqib Mahmood, along with leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed missed out on a place in McCullum’s first white-ball match XI.
Meanwhile, India, the current T20 world champions have named a youthful squad with seasoned fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah missing the series with injury.
England XI: Ben Duckett, Phil Salt (wk), Jos Buttler (c), Harry Brook (vc), Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
IND vs ENG T20I series: England have picked new IPL recruits in their playing X1 for the first T20I against India in Kolkata on January 22. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today