नवीनतम
2nd T20I: Shami likely to play vs England today
NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Team India will be aiming to extend its lead when it faces England in the second T20I of the series in Chennai but are Mohammed Shami and Abhishek Sharma fit?
Team India, riding high on momentum after a convincing seven-wicket victory in the opening match, will look to double their advantage against England in the second game of the five-match series on Saturday in Chennai. Despite lingering fitness concerns surrounding Mohammed Shami, the hosts appear well-equipped to maintain their dominance.
Shami, who was expected to feature in the first game, was sidelined to allow the management to assess his readiness further. His potential inclusion in this match will depend on a last-minute fitness evaluation. In his absence, the Indian bowling attack excelled in Kolkata, with Arshdeep Singh dismantling England with the new ball and Varun Chakaravarthy delivering in the middle overs.
The Chepauk pitch is expected to favor spinners, much like it has in the past. India’s spin trio of Varun Chakaravarthy, Axar Patel, and Ravi Bishnoi will be key in exploiting the conditions. The home side boasts of quality and variety in a line-up consisting Varun, vice-captain Axar Patel, and Ravi Bishnoi, making them well-prepared for the challenge.
England’s spinners, Adil Rashid and Liam Livingstone, will need to step up significantly after struggling in Kolkata. With Chepauk’s tricky surface in play, spinners on both sides are expected to have a major say in the outcome.
India’s opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson has been a revelation, providing consistent starts since forming their partnership last year. In the first T20I, Abhishek dominated England with a blistering knock, striking at over 230. However, there are concerns over Abhishek's fitness after it was reported that the left-hander has twisted his ankle during India's training session.
If Abhishek is unavailable for selection, there could be a possibility of captain Suryakumar Yadav promoting himself as an opener, since there is no designated opener in the side. Samson, meanwhile, has three centuries in his last six innings, cementing their status as India’s first-choice openers.
