IND vs ENG Dream11 Prediction [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]
India and England are set to lock horns in the second T20I at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday, January 25. With India leading the series 1-0, the pressure is on England to bounce back and level the series.
India
India’s bowling unit set the tone in the first match, skittling England out for just 132 runs. Varun Chakravarthy was sensational, spinning a web around the English batters with figures of 3/20. Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh played their parts too, sharing six wickets among themselves.
The chase wasn’t all smooth sailing as India stumbled early with Sanju Samson (26) and Suryakumar Yadav (0) falling cheaply. But then Abhishek Sharma stole the show with a blistering 79 off 34 balls. His knock featuring five boundaries and eight sixes left England’s bowlers clueless. Mark Wood and Adil Rashid bore the brunt of Sharma’s assault as India cruised to a dominant win. They will look to secure another win and take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
England
England’s batting woes continued, with only Jos Buttler showing any resistance. The skipper held the innings together with a gutsy 68 off 44 balls, smashing eight fours and two sixes. However, the rest of the lineup crumbled, with Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, and Liam Livingstone failing to make an impact.
Jofra Archer was the lone bright spot with the ball, returning figures of 2/21 in his four overs. Unfortunately, Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood, and Adil Rashid had a tough time containing the Indian batters. England will need a collective effort from both their batters and bowlers to level the series.
MA Chidambaram Stadium - Pitch Report For IND vs ENG 2nd T20I
The Chepauk pitch has traditionally been a track that has assisted spinners but recent trends suggest that it can also be a batting surface, especially when the wicket is fresh. While the surface may offer some grip for spinners, batters who take their time to settle in can reap the rewards.
Dew is unlikely to be a factor, making the toss a crucial decision. Teams batting first tend to have an edge here as the track slows down as the game progresses, which makes chasing tricky. Expect captain winning the toss to bat first.
Top 3 Captain and Vice-Captain Choices For IND vs ENG 2nd T20I
1. Tilak Varma
Tilak Varma has been in blistering form and is one of India’s most reliable middle-order batters with a huge range of shots all across the wicket. With 299 runs in his last five matches at an astonishing average of 149.5 and a strike rate of 190.44, Varma has been a game-changer. His ability to take on both pace and spin makes him a top captaincy or vice-captaincy pick.
2. Jos Buttler
England skipper Jos Buttler has been their lone warrior in recent games and his numbers back up his brilliance. With 299 runs in the last eight matches at a phenomenal average of 49.83 and a strike rate of 174.85, Buttler’s ability to anchor the innings and finish with a flourish is second to none. If England hopes to level the series, Buttler will need to lead from the front once again. His quick footwork against spin will be crucial on a surface like Chepauk.
3. Varun Chakravarthy
Varun Chakravarthy’s mastery over spin was on full display in the series opener. With 20 wickets in his last eight matches at an economy of just 7.31, he is a consistent wicket-taker. On a track that may assist spin, Chakravarthy could once again be India’s trump card,. Moreover, he is familiar with the Chepauk wicket, and thus he is a great choice to be captain or vice-captain for your fantasy team.