India vs England 1st T20I: Key Player Matchups For Dream11 Contests

Debashis Sarangi

India will face England in 1st T20I [Source: @BCCI/X]India will face England in 1st T20I [Source: @BCCI/X]

Tomorrow, India will take on England in the first T20I of the upcoming five-match series on home soil. The high-octane face-off will take place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. 

Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India were clinical in the South Africa T20Is, defeating the hosts by 3-1. On the other hand, England are also high on confidence following their emphatic victory over West Indies in an away T20I series.

So, considering both teams' recent form, we expect a rollicking contest at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Meanwhile, there are several player battles which can determine the match's outcome, as mentioned below. 

Key Player Matchups For IND vs ENG 1st T20I Dream11 Contests

1. Phil Salt vs Arshdeep Singh

Balls
Runs
Dismissals
Average/SR
1280NA/66.67

(Phil Salt vs Arshdeep Singh in T20 cricket)

  • Arshdeep Singh has kept Phil Salt quiet with his exceptional skills with the new ball. Although he has yet to dismiss him, the English batter has managed only eight runs off his twelve deliveries in T20 cricket. 
  • Arshdeep can swing the ball up front and trouble Salt, who has some technical limitations against the moving ball. However, if the English batter survives, he can be a headache for India, having amassed 350 IPL runs at an average of 58.33 and a strike rate of 185.18 at Eden Gardens. 

2. Suryakumar Yadav vs Jofra Archer

Balls
Runs
Dismissals
Average/SR
2529129/116

(Suryakumar Yadav vs Jofra Archer in T20 cricket)

  • Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav can take the game away from England through his belligerent stroke play. However, as shown in the table above, Jofra Archer has been able to keep Surya quiet in T20 cricket. 
  • England must be aware of the fact that Surya has struggled to get going against Archer. Therefore, they will likely keep at least one over of the pacer for the Indian skipper. This contest could be crucial from the match's context, as Surya's wicket holds significant importance for the hosts. 

3. Jos Buttler vs Varun Chakravarthy

Balls
Runs
Dismissals
Average/SR
3057228.5/190

(Jos Buttler vs Varun Chakravarthy in T20 cricket)

  • England's T20I captain Jos Buttler could be one of the key players for his side in the first T20I. Buttler will bat at three, which is why he might face India's prime spinner Varun Chakravarthy in the middle overs. 
  • This player battle could be game-defining, as Chakravarthy is India's primary wicket-taking option in the middle overs. Buttler has hammered him at a strike rate of 190, and thus, his counterattacking game might lead to an off day for the India spinner on his IPL home ground. 

4. Hardik Pandya vs Mark Wood

Balls
Runs
Dismissals
Average/SR
2628128/107.69

(Hardik Pandya vs Mark Wood in T20 cricket)

  • India will rely on Hardik Pandya to ensure a fitting finish for them. However, the English pacer has an impressive record against Pandya, who has struck at an abysmal rate of 107.69. 
  • Wood's high-pace hit-the-deck bowling could be instrumental for England in the middle and death overs, where Pandya is expected to bat in the first T20I. 

P.S: Apart from these matchups, the battle between Suryakumar Yadav and Adil Rashid (28 balls, 51 T20I runs, 2 dismissals, average 25.5, SR 182.14) will also be interesting to watch.