Cricket Match Prediction | India vs England | 1st T20I | Jan 22– Who do you think will win the first match?

IND vs ENG Match Analysis

India and England will play each other in the 1st match of the five-match T20I series on January 22, 2025, at 7:30 PM BST at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

India has excelled in the white-ball format recently, standing as the top-ranked team in both ODIs and T20s, despite their struggles in the red-ball format over the past few months. As preparations for the Champions Trophy near completion, they will aim to maintain their strong performance.

England last featured in the shortest format in November when they secured a victory against the West Indies on their home turf. They have retained the core of that squad, opting for a balanced blend of youth and experience.

IND vs ENG Team Preview & Squads

India

India has proven to be no ordinary team, showcasing their ability to remain competitive in T20I cricket despite the simultaneous retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja after the T20 World Cup last July. These three generational talents may have moved on, but India’s extensive rotation over the years has ensured that the current players are equipped with the experience and skills needed to excel at this level.

With the bat, captain Suryakumar Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, and Rinku Singh are expected to deliver explosive performances, while Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson will aim to combine positive intent with anchoring the innings. On the bowling front of IND, Mohammed Shami marks his much-anticipated return to international cricket, supported by the spin duo of Ravi Bishnoi and Varun Chakravarthy, who are likely to play pivotal roles in this opener.

India Squads

India

Yadav, Dhruv Jurel, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, and Varun Chakravarthy.

England 

England is another T20I team undergoing transition, moving on from a group of players who served them exceptionally well over the last decade, with Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, and Dawid Malan no longer in the selectors’ plans.

Jos Buttler remains at the helm as captain, and it will be intriguing to see how he collaborates with the new coach, especially after appearing unsettled under the previous regime. McCullum is expected to back players like Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, and Jacob Bethell, who have already thrived under his guidance in Test cricket.

In the bowling department, ENG might deploy the fiery pace duo of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood with the new ball to challenge the Indian batters. Additionally, Buttler has strong spin options at his disposal, with the experienced Adil Rashid and young talent Rehan Ahmed likely to feature in this match.

England Squads

England

Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, and Mark Wood.

India vs England outfield report

Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Given that the side batting first has won three of the previous four Twenty20 Internationals at Eden Gardens and that the weather is not expected to vary significantly throughout the evening, we anticipate that both captains will want to bat first before this match.

Ahead of this match, Kolkata will see a bright and sunny day with temperatures that are expected to range from the upper 20s to the mid-to-low 20s. Even though Eden Gardens is regarded as a batter-friendly venue overall, pacers typically have to put in more effort than spinners to take wickets there.

IND vs ENG Head-to-Head Stats of Last 5 Matches

In their last five encounters, England has won two and India has won three.

India vs England Prediction

Cricket analysts predict India has a 52% chance of winning.

Disclaimer: This cricket prediction is based on the author’s insights and analysis. Readers should consider the points discussed and draw their own conclusions.