Predicting England’s top three performers for their first T20I against India

Explore our predictions for England’s top three performers in their exciting first T20I showdown against India. Former T20 World Cup winners England begin their 2025 white-ball tour of India. The first assignment is a five-match T20I series, with the opening game scheduled to be played in Kolkata. Jos Buttler will be looking forward to the series and to exact some revenge against India after losing to them in the T20 WC Semi-Finals. 

The visitors have already announced that their team will play the first match of the series. Phil Salt will open the batting with Ben Duckett and the former KKR star is also set to keep wickets. Buttler will bat at number three with the likes of Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, and Jacob Bethell to follow. Jamie Overton who has done well in the T20I format has also found a place in the team. 

Adil Rashid will be the lead spinner for the team while Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, and Mark Wood are the three pacers. Speaking ahead of the game coach Brendon McCullum said “Obviously, we want to win every game we play, to try and be successful, and that’s ultimately the mission for us, but our conversations and the language which we use within the dressing-rooms is quite different”

Here are the likely England’s top three performers in the first T20I

3. Harry Brook 

25-year-old Harry Brook has been in great run-scoring form in the Test format. The right-handed batter scored a triple ton late last year against Pakistan. This was followed by centuries in the series against New Zealand which saw the batter climb to the number 1 ranking in the Test format. Brook has played 39 games in the T20I format, scored 707 runs with three half-centuries, and has a strike rate of 146. 

2. Jos Buttler 

England skipper Jos Buttler has scored 498 runs against India in the T20I format. The 34-year-old has good experience playing in these conditions thanks to his association with Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals. Buttler can change the course of the game with his ability to score runs to all parts of the ground. Indian bowlers will have to vary when bowling to Buttler who uses his feet well even against the spinners. 

1. Phil Salt 

It is a bittersweet homecoming for Phil Salt who was part of Kolkata Knight Riders last season. Phil Salt and Sunil Narine powered their team to many great starts during the league phase of the season. Salt had to leave the tournament before the playoff matches due to international commitments and missed KKR winning the title against SRH last May. The right-handed batter knows the conditions at Eden Gardens and will be the most dangerous player for India and could do well in the first match of the tournament. 

Disclaimer: This latest news is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.

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