Image Credit BCCI.tv
Team India, after comprehensively winning the five-match ODI series, would like to end their England tour with a win in a one-off Twenty20 at Edgbaston today.
The Indian team is heading as favorite into the rubber, although they were defeated by England in the final one-dayer. Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni played quite well in the ODI series and are expected to maintain the momentum in the remaining tie.
England, however, edge India in head-to-head encounters as they have won four out of seven T20 matches. India, on the other hand, won their most recent meeting, when they defeated the English team by 20 runs in World Twenty20 warm-up fixture in Dhaka.
Eoin Morgan will be leading the hosts in the absence of Stuart Broad, even though his form is not been great lately but the Dublin-born will be looking to inspire his team in the encounter.
Moeen Ali and Steven Finn are expected to keep their places, after an impressive performance in the ODIs, while Ravi Bopara and Alex Hales could also play. England, however, will miss the Tim Bresnan as the pacer is ruled out because of an injury.
Bresnan has suffered a shoulder niggle, although the injury is not serious but the pacer is omitted from the T20. The England board has not announced any replacement for the quick, so James Tredwell, Steven Finn and Chris Jordan could lead England’s pace attack.
“Bresnan will not be replaced in the squad for the match providing there are no concerns over the fitness of bowlers currently playing in the final match of the ODI series,” a statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) reads.
Meanwhile, there are no injury concerns in the Indian team and the touring party has already showed that they are a force to reckon with in the limited-overs format.
The combo of Dhoni and Duncan Fletcher has always been reluctant in making major changes in the playing XI, so it is unlikely that there will be new names in the squad. Karn Singh, however, is in line for a debut, while Sanju Samson could also earn his maiden cap.
There are no real concerns for Team India in the batting department as Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane and Raina are in sublime form. Rahane and Raina have already scored hundreds, while Dhawan also made useful contributions in the last two innings.
Both Raina and Jadeja are limited-overs specialist and in the recently concluded ODI series they thrashed the English attack and the Indian team will be hoping for a similar display from them in the forthcoming rubber as well.
This is also Virat Kohli’s final chance of getting some useful runs under his belt, after a nightmare tour. Kohli had a terrible tour and will be aiming to end it with a decent knock and inspire Team India to a win and reduce India’s think-tank worries.
Expected Line-ups:
England: Alex Hales, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, Jason Roy, Ravi Bopara, Chris Woakes, Steven Finn, Chris Jordan and James Tredwell.
India: Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Dhawal Kulkarni.
