"The uno has been reversed" - Aakash Chopra on the likely contrasts in India and England's playing XIs for IND vs ENG 2025 1st T20I
Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that the Men in Blue and England will likely have contrasting playing combinations in the first T20I in Kolkata on Wednesday, January 22. He highlighted that the two sides have seemingly exchanged their approaches.
India will square off against England in a five-match T20I series. While the visitors have already named their XI for the series opener, the hosts haven't disclosed their playing combination.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that India and England have adopted each other's methods.
"The uno has been reversed. We are doing what England used to do and England are doing what we used to do, and you are thinking what exactly has changed in this world. What was England's philosophy? When England changed the playing style of white-ball cricket, they said they needed a batter even at No. 9," he said (2:05).
Chopra highlighted that England used to rely on all-rounders when they adopted an ultra-aggressive approach in white-ball cricket.
"Their batters used to bowl as well. So they had a plethora of all-rounders. They said bye-bye to specialists. They also won the World Cup like that and everyone looked at them and said they were incredible. They were playing a different brand of cricket," he elaborated.
However, the former India opener noted that England's XI for the first T20I comprises five proper bowlers.
"However, they have changed now. They have already announced their XI. It's telling me that England are now thinking like India. Don't focus on the batting, look below. You will see three proper fast bowlers in Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson. Jamie Overton is an all-rounder but is a proper fast bowler, and then they have Adil Rashid," Chopra observed.
Aakash Chopra pointed out that England are no longer worried about who would bat down the order. He added that they have moved away from the all-rounder obsession they had earlier.
"We used to feel the Indian team was behind the curve in T20 cricket" - Aakash Chopra on India's changed approach
![Axar Patel (left) and Hardik Pandya are among the all-rounders in India's squad. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/36a95-17375196014879-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that India used to predominantly have specialist batters and bowlers in their playing XIs earlier.
"We used to feel the Indian team was behind the curve in T20 cricket, as they had either batters or bowlers. However, this could be the Indian XI now - Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh," he said (3:50).
While naming India's likely playing XI, the analyst pointed out that it includes three proper all-rounders - Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
"You have a proper batter at No. 8 in Axar Patel. Nitish Kumar Reddy bowls. Axar gives four overs. Hardik Pandya bowls. Now the batting depth is unbelievable. We are playing totally differently. What used to be England's template is now India's template and vice versa. Things have changed," Chopra observed.
Axar, who has been appointed India's vice-captain, and Hardik are certainties in India's playing XI. Suryakumar Yadav and company have the option of going in with three or even four all-rounders as they have Washington Sundar in the squad apart from Reddy.