India vs England 2nd T20I LIVE SCORE: BCCI announces 2 injuries before match as wait for Shami return continues

India vs England 2nd T20I LIVE SCORE: Arshdeep Singh is three wickets away from a record but the question remains as to whether Mohammed Shami will make his long awaited comeback or not.

India vs England 2nd T20I LIVE SCORE: India’s emphatic and clinical victory over England in the first T20I in Kolkata saw them take a comfortable 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The series now travels to Chennai, where the iconic Chepauk will host the second of the series, as India look to keep their incredible momentum in T20I cricket going and England look to bounce back....Read More

England’s batting is dangerous and capable of hammering some huge scores, with six-hitters and boundary-getters littered throughout their lineup. However, it didn’t quite click for the visitors at the Eden Gardens: Arshdeep Singh tore through the top order with a probing opening spell, in particular dismissing the destructive Phil Salt early. Later, it was the spin magic of Varun Chakravarthy and the economical Axar Patel that put a stranglehold on the middle order, just completely outfoxing the big hitters in the middle overs.

For England, that will once again be the fear. Chennai provides a difficult batting surface that threatens to expose all the weaknesses in the England batting: a touch of movement with the new ball that could dislodge Salt and opening partner Ben Duckett, and plenty of slowness and spin on offer as has been typical for decades in Chennai. India’s spin triumvirate will be licking their lips at the prospect of targeting England’s vulnerable middle order: while Liam Livingstone is capable of hitting big sixes, he is just as capable of tying himself into a knot and being out early, not dissimilar to what happened in Kolkata.

For India, the concerns regarding selection lie more due to fitness of players than a tactical approach. Abhishek Sharma, who came good with a rapid and brutal half-century in the chase in the first match, is said to have rolled an ankle while in practice, which could jeopardise his spot for the upcoming match. With India not having chosen any recognised openers, this could mean that one of Tilak Varma or captain Suryakumar Yadav is promoted to open, which is not the ideal case scenario for the team.

However, that does open the door for the return of Mohammed Shami, whose non-inclusion in Kolkata was a matter of controversy and surprise. Shami, if fit, likely comes in for Nitish Kumar Reddy, who provides batting depth and part-time pace. However, Nitish could remain in the team due to Abhishek’s injury, proving India batting until number 7, and as many as seven different bowling options to use in Chennai.

Equally, however, Gautam Gambhir enjoys batting depth in his limited overs teams, and he might go for more of a like-for-like switch and bring in Dhruv Jurel for Abhishek, slot him in the number four slot, and give Shami another day of rest before heading to the more pace-friendly tracks coming up later in the series. Arshdeep Singh’s ability to lead the pace bowling will be heartening for fans and coaches alike, with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj earning a much-deserved rest in the wake of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

India will naturally be considered favourites in the slow and turning conditions in Chennai, even if England add a third spin option with Rehan Ahmed. The gulf in quality across the spin trios will likely be telling, as will the comfort of the Indian batters in hitting big against spin compared to their English counterparts. However, it’s not an easy selection call for Gautam Gambhir and his staff to make, which could complicate matters, and allow England to take advantage of an imbalance, especially in terms of India’s batting if Abhishek Sharma is missing due to his injury.

India will start off as the team like to take a 2-0 lead with a victory, but it is silly to write off the firepower England possess. It might come down to how successful India are in containing the visitors once again.

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