Can India’s spin problem be solved by England’s extremely aggressive game plan?

Against the question on emerging India’s spin arsenal and in the context of the T20s against India that were lined up, ‘if anything, be more aggressive,’ is how England skipper Jos Buttler responded. He also mentioned to his fellow batters to find their own ways and methods to the challenge. Just before the second T20I of the series in Chennai, Harry Brook’s one-line response when asked on what methods he would put into place was “we will see tomorrow” Avail First Sports Posting Jobs in India now!

At the moment, England are keeping the cards very close to their chest. This methodology comes from the top where all formats of cricket are played under Brendon McCullum: the ‘always have a go’ approach has been consistent “through tell your teammates this show to be bold.” Both the coach and captain have made it clear that the players need to remain assertive – and when is the decisive for the team how they do it individually will set the pace for the rest of the series.

In India’s case, the plan would be to continue with the strategy they have honed over the last 12 months – maintaining accuracy in bowling alongside style in batting. Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, and Axar Patel will seek to put some control on the scoring for England, whereas Singh is also going to be playing an important role. The focus will also shift to the batters on whether they can actually deal with the pace attack of Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, and the spin from Adil Rashid, and whether India is able to manage if Abhishek Sharma is not available due to the sprained ankle he got in the practice session.

When: Saturday, 25th January 2025 at 7:00 PM IST

Where: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

What to expect: As in the nine IPL 2024 matches held at this venue, six were won by sides batting second. The average first innings score was 170. Also, dew is expected to play a role in the second half of the match. The winning captain is often faced with a tough call after the toss, but this time it is straightforward once again. With respect to the last IPL, the team combination may have to be reassessed, as pacers had been far more successful than spin.

Teams watch

India

What went wrong with Mohammed Shami not playing the match? This is the question asked by many after the first T20I in Kolkata with the answer being that the conditions were more suited for Spin Bowling. But given the form of the pacers lately at Chepauk, this is a venue where Shami could return to international cricket after the 2023 World Cup. He looked fine while practicing under the supervision of bowling coach Morne Morkel although he had strapped both knees. In order to get Shami into the XI, India may have to drop Ravi Bishnoi, which will make the spin department a little light, or leave out Nitish Reddy, which makes the tail long.

In the Indian camp, an injury scare arose after Abhishek Sharma twisted his right ankle during training and missed the batting practice. He left the training session with a limp, and it is yet to be checked whether he will participate in the game or not. The other specialist batter in the squad, Dhruv Jurel, may have to play, forcing a batting order change.

Tactics & Match-ups: It had been noticed that Ben Duckett had scored three Duck Walthams against left arm pace early in his innings (4 innings = 3 ducks). Given the success Arshdeep had in the powerplay during the last match, it seems prudent to use the Indian left-arm seamer for the first few overs. On the other hand, Brook has always been a suspect against Legspin. He will be under Varun’s and Bishnoi’s protection if he plays. Left arm spinners have had great success against Jos Buttler 7, Phil Salt 7, Liam Livingstone 4 which brings Axar Patel into the picture.

Probable XI: Jurel/Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson WK, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav C, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Nitish Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami/Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakravarthy.

England

England has made one change from the last game, bringing in Brydon Carse in for Gus Atkinson. It is reported that Jacob Bethell did not show up for practice on Friday owing to some illness and Jamie Smith has been drafted in to the 12 man squad in case he needs to be included. We have most trusted visitors to follow 1xbetfair

Tactics & Match-ups: Even though Sharma had a breathtaking inning in the last match, he was bowled with pace, particularly with the short-of-length deliveries. It is possible that England tries to do more of it in the second match, especially with Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Bryan Carse all capable of churning out good speeds. The slower ball proved effective against Suryakumar and that is one area where England would do well, particularly if the Indian skipeper is trying to target the perfectly leg side. Read More Information About Click Here