IND vs ENG: Predicted India Playing XI for 1st T20I Against England

India has won the series 3-1 against South Africa and is now ready to take on England in a five-match T20I series at home. Suryakumar Yadav is the skipper of the Indian side which has plenty of match winners in the likes of Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Reddy, and Arshdeep Singh to mention but a few. As the Men in Blue get ready for this high-pressure encounter, here is a closer look at their strongest playing XI for the first T20I at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma are the ideal openers for India after making a good impression in the South Africa T20Is. They will be useful in setting the tone of India’s innings as openers if they are able to provide quick starts. Following them, Tilak Varma should take the number three spot after making two great centuries in the last series. Suryakumar Yadav will anchor the middle order at number four, with a T20 International average of 45.57 and a strike rate of 169.68 after scoring 1595 runs.

In the lower order, Rinku Singh and Nitish Reddy will back up Hardik Pandya, India’s all-rounder, to finish the innings strongly. This could see Reddy come in for Ramandeep Singh, who played number seven in India's team in South Africa. Reddy's an all-rounder, and his ability to contribute with the bat and ball is a strong point for India.

On the bowling front, India may miss veteran pacer Mohammed Shami, who limped out after a net session. With a knee strap in place, Shami may be rested for the first T20I to let him recover better ahead of the Champions Trophy. If he's ruled out, the pace attack might be led by Harshit Rana along with Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel taking care of spin. This bowling combination gives India a good challenge over the top order of England.

Predicted India Playing XI for 1st T20I Against England

Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Reddy, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy

India vs England T20 Series 2025: Full Schedule with India & England Timings