India and England will lock horns in the 3rd T20 of the ongoing series on 28th January at Rajkot.
Match Preview:
It was a thrilling and nail biting game when England and India met each other in the second T20 of the series. For once, it was thought England could finally collect a victory, however, Tilak Verma said no to the tourists.
Verma scored unbeaten knock of 72 runs and sealed victory for his team in the last over of the game. Under SuryaKumar Yadav, India has a great record of T20 as they have yet to lose a series since August 2023.
After winning the last T20, India will have an ideal chance to make some changes in their lineup as well. For example Dhruv Jurel can sit out to make place for Shivam Dube.
Although Jurel and Dube play the same role in the team i.e being the hitter of the side, Dube’s ability to hit spin and bowl handy overs in the middle phase can be helpful.
India can also play Ramandeep Singh in place of Washington Sundar. Sundar was underutilised with the bowl in the second game of the series. Although he contributed with the bat, trying Singh won’t be difficult as he is also an accomplished batter and can chip in with a few overs as well.
Last but not the least, Mohammad Shami can make a comeback at the expense of Ravi Bishnoi as the spin-heavy approach may not be fruitful at Rajkot.
Talking about England, they will try their best to win the upcoming match of the series to keep the series alive. Their batting lineup has been a story of struggle so far as none of the batters could make an impact besides Jos Buttler.
Brydon Carse played a great knock of 31 runs in the last T20 but England need services from Salt, Brook, and Livingstone to save the series.
Carse was impactful with the bowl as well as he took 3 wickets for 29 runs. Although Jofra Archer bowled well he conceded 60 runs.
Pitch and weather report:
The Niranjan Shah Stadium pitch in Rajkot is a batting paradise, with a flat surface ideal for stroke play. Pacers will need to rely on variations, while spinners may find some turn and bounce later on. The toss is crucial, as teams batting first have historically held an advantage.
Weather-wise, Rajkot is expected to be clear and rain-free, with temperatures ranging from 15°C to 32°C, and no dew factor to impact the game.
Probable Playing XI:
India: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ramandeep Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakravarthy
England: Jos Buttler (c), Harry Brook (vc), Phil Salt (wk), Jacob Bethell, Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, and Mark Wood.
Head-to-head record:
Out of their 26 T20 encounters, India has emerged victorious 15 times, including their most recent meeting in the semifinals of the 2024 T20 World Cup in Guyana. England has secured wins in the remaining 11 matches.
Prediction:
Given India’s record in T20s, India is favourite to win the third encounter of the series. Nevertheless, England will push harder to save the series.
Where to watch:
India: Disney-plus Hotstar
England: Sky Sports
Pakistan: Tapmad
Others: Cric HD
