India vs England Match Prediction: Who will win the 1st T20I match?
India and England are two of the most exciting sides in world cricket at present. Led by aggressive coaches with contrasting images and attacking captains who are two of the best batters in the format, the two teams are made to entertain.
The 2025 Champions Trophy has dominated headlines in recent times, but that will be temporarily forgotten as India and England lock horns in a five-match T20I series. The opening game of the rubber will be played on Wednesday, January 22 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
India's squad for the T20I series against England: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (wk).
England's squad for the T20I series against India: Jos Buttler (c), Harry Brook (vc), Phil Salt (wk), Jacob Bethell, Liam Livingstone, Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood, Mark Wood.
Both teams have won four of their last five outings in the format and come into this series in excellent form. Packed to the hilt with international experience and young pedigree in equal measure, India and England will have an eye on the same target - putting the puzzle pieces in place in the lead-up to next year's T20 World Cup.
Which team will make a winning start to the series?
IND vs ENG 2025: Kolkata run-fest on the cards
The Eden Gardens promises sixes. The venue has been unpredictable for how it treats its spinners, and that could be the difference between the two sides on Wednesday.
India have the option of playing Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi in tandem, which they have exercised over the last few series. While Chakaravarthy knows the conditions well, Bishnoi has been in decent form lately and could ask serious questions of the England middle order.
The visitors have plenty of experience and firepower in their ranks. England are likely to field four fast bowlers, all of whom can crank up the pace and chip in with the bat. The likes of Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya might not be at their most comfortable against the opposition pacers.
This is a contest between two evenly matched teams, and India's only real advantage lies in their spinners. If Bishnoi and Chakaravarthy play together and manage to bowl penetratively, the Men in Blue will likely win.
Anything can happen in a game of cricket, and it's hard to predict a winner without knowing the result of the toss. Chasing is bound to be the better option at Kolkata, with dew likely to set in.
India's spin tandem could give them the slightest of edges ahead of the opening T20I, although England might even be the oddsmakers' favorites.
Prediction: India to win the 1st T20I vs England.