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IND vs ENG 1st T20I: Will Rinku Singh get game? Dew a concern at Eden

Here's a look at the predicted XI of India and England ahead of their first match at the Eden Gardens.

Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh, India vs England, IND vs ENGIndia vs England Playing 11: India's captain Surya Kumar Yadav, left, and Rinku Singh, right, walk past a training schedule board during their practice session ahead of their first Twenty20 match against England, in Kolkata. (AP)

Suryakumar Yadav-led India will lock horns against England in the first match of the T20I series at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday.

England has already announced that they are playing XI, while India will only reveal it at the toss.

Dew is a perennial concern at this time of the year at Eden Gardens. Since dew makes it difficult to grip the ball, fielding a third spinner could prove to be costly. It will be interesting to see what combination, India will go with in Kolkata.

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England combination

The first match will mark the start of Brendon McCullum’s reign as all-format head coach for England. Ben Duckett will open the batting in his first T20I match since December 2023, with Phil Salt taking the gloves instead of Jos Buttler, who will also bat at No 3. England also have the searing pace of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood to attack India.

England cricket team England cricketers during a practice session ahead of the first T20 match against India, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. (PTI)

England playing XI

Phil Salt (wk), Ben Duckett, Jos Buttler (c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

Will Rinku find a place?

Rinku Singh India’s Rinku Singh bowls at net as Varun Chakravarthy looks on during the practice session ahead of their first T20 match against England, in Kolkata, India. (AP)

It will be a homecoming for Kolkata Knight Riders star finisher Rinku Singh, who has had a quiet run recently, with scores of 8 not out, 11, 9, and 8 in his last four innings. Captain Suryakumar is hopeful that Rinku will come out all guns blazing. “I want to see him hitting sixes. He has measured all the nooks and corners of Eden Gardens, having played a lot of cricket here. It will be a good welcome for him. It’s always a good stadium with a great atmosphere,” Suryakumar said at the press conference.

Nitish Reddy walks in

Nitish Kumar Reddy first T20I fifty Making his India debut in the T20I series against Bangladesh, Reddy impressed with a half-century in only his second outing for India. (BCCI on X)

Andhra all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who scored a historic maiden Test century during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. Reddy last appeared in a T20I during the home series against Bangladesh in October last year, and he will be eager to carry his form into this series, if given the opportunity. Reddy made history as the first Indian batter to score a century in Australia while batting at number eight. His inclusion would strengthen India’s batting line-up further.

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Three spinners unlikely

Varun Chakravarthy India’s Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi with head coach Gautam Gambhir during a training session ahead of the first T20 match of the series against England, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. (PTI)

With dew set play a massive role, it is highly unlikely that India will play three spinners. Axar Patel will take the all-rounder slot at No 7, which means Washington Sundar will have to miss out. With Varun Chakravarthy in form of his life, leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi will also have to sit out.

All eyes on Shami

India vs England, Gautam Gambhir and Mohammed Shami India bowler Mohammad Shami with head coach Gautam Gambhir during a practice session ahead of the first T20 cricket match against England, at Eden Garden in Kolkata. (PTI)

A fit-again Mohammed Shami will spearhead the pace attack on his return to international cricket after nearly 14 months. He will be joined by left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh, providing variety. Suryakumar expressed excitement over Shami’s return. “It’s always good to have an experienced bowler in your side, and he is making a comeback after over a year. I am really excited to see him. I have seen his journey, how he focused on his bowling and recovery at the NCA. It felt good to see him (Shami) on the ground. He has bowled well too. Obviously, he has done his preparation, and he was confident from the start.”

India’s likely playing XI

Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy.

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