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India will be desperate to bounce back in the second T20I against England after rain washed out the series opener. While batting first, Indian batters showed glimpses of brilliance in the first match. And after a disappointing series loss against Ireland, the team management is under pressure, hence could be tempted to make a couple of changes to the playing XI, particularly at the top of the order, where India’s struggles have been evident throughout the white-ball leg of the tour.
Here is India’s predicted XI for the second T20I.
After three underwhelming outings, Sanju Samson could make way for teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The youngster has been knocking on the doors of the national side with his fearless batting and, if selected, would become the youngest male cricketer to represent India in international cricket.
Abhishek Sharma is expected to retain his place after looking India’s most dangerous batter at the top. The left-hander has consistently taken the aggressive route in the powerplay and will once again have the responsibility of providing a flying start alongside the debutant.
Ishan Kishan has not converted his starts into a significant score on this tour, but he has shown enough intent to justify another opportunity. The wicketkeeper-batter’s attacking style makes him a crucial cog in India’s batting unit, and the visitors will hope he can anchor the innings if early wickets fall.
Captain Shreyas Iyer will once again be India’s batting mainstay. The experienced right-hander will be expected to absorb pressure and guide the innings through the middle overs. He was brilliant in the first match, where he scored 68 runs.
Tilak Varma remains one of India’s most dependable T20 batters. But, his inability to rotate strike in the middle overs is a sign of concern.
Shivam Dube’s all-around abilities are likely to keep him in the XI despite a modest outing in the first game. His power-hitting against spin and medium pace gives India another dimension in the lower middle order, while his medium-pace bowling provides an additional option.
Axar Patel continues to be one of India’s most reliable white-ball cricketers. Apart from controlling the middle overs with his left-arm spin, Axar can play impactful cameos with the bat, making him an automatic selection in the playing XI.
Harshit Rana is expected to retain his place despite an expensive outing in the first T20I. His ability to extract bounce and hit hard lengths makes him a genuine wicket-taking option, particularly with the new ball.
Ravi Bishnoi will continue to lead India’s wrist-spin attack. The leg-spinner has the knack of breaking partnerships in the middle overs and remains one of India’s biggest wicket-taking threats in the format.
Arshdeep Singh is likely to spearhead the pace attack once again. The left-arm seamer’s ability to swing the new ball and execute yorkers at the death makes him indispensable in T20 cricket.
Varun Chakaravarthy should complete India’s bowling attack. The mystery spinner has repeatedly troubled opposition batters with his variations and will play a key role in restricting England during the middle overs.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(WK), Shreyas Iyer(C), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy.
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