India’s biggest concern heading into the series is the batting unit. The top order failed to cope in the seam-friendly conditions in Ireland, with Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan and skipper Shreyas Iyer all enduring a tough outing. Although Abhishek Sharma showed his firing ability with a 50 in the series, India will need more consistency from their senior batters against England’s quality attack.
There is also plenty of excitement around 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, but assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate says the youngster is unlikely to be eased into the playing XI and will continue to ease into international cricket.
England, on the other hand, boasts one of the strongest T20 squads in world cricket. Harry Brook leads a side full of proven match winners, including Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Sam Curran and Adil Rashid. Their fast attack could prove decisive in home conditions. Jofra Archer, Luke Wood, Saqib Mahmood and Sam Curran are expected to take advantage of the movement offered by the new ball, making India’s weak top order their main target.
Pitch report:
The Riverside Ground traditionally provides a balanced contest between bat and ball, but fast bowlers often enjoy the upper hand, especially in night games when swing is available under the lights.
The venue has produced an average first-innings score of around 138 in T20Is, suggesting that batters need to spend time at the crease before playing their shots. Teams that win the powerplay battle tend to gain a significant advantage.
India holds the overall lead in T20Is between the two sides, winning 18 out of 30 matches, while England has registered 12 victories.
In England, however, the rivalry was more evenly contested, with India only holding a 6-5 advantage, highlighting just how competitive the competitions are on English soil.
Squads:
England Squad: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler(w), Harry Brook(c), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood, Jordan Cox, James Coles, Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker
India Squad: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Washington Sundar, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prasidh Krishna, Ravi Chakarahnoi