After five overs, captain Suryakumar Yadav brings-in spin in the form of Varun Chakravarthy. In his first over, Chakravarthy creates some trouble for England but leaks eight runs. India need a wicket at the earliest,

Was Mohammed Shami not fit? Wasn't the whole idea of picking Shami for the England T20Is to give him match practice for the Champions Trophy?

Suryakumar Yadav's Team India will take on Jos Buttler-led England team in the opening game of the five-match T20I series at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday, January 22.

The T20Is against England serve as the perfect opportunity for Varun Chakravarthy to further solidify his chances of making it as one of the lead spinners for the T20 World Cup squad next year. The mystery spinner's variations in Kolkata could prove to be quite a handful.

Piyush Chawla backed India's decision to bench Mohammed Shami, while Suresh Raina reckoned it was a tactical call

India pacer Mohammed Shami's return to international cricket will have to wait for some more time after he was left out of India's playing XI against England for the 1st T20I on Wednesday (Jan 22). Shami last played for India in ODI World Cup 2023 final on November 19 at home which India lost to Australia.

Why is Mohammed Shami not playing 1st T20I against England 2025? (Source: BCCI/twitter/X) India's Strategy for the 1st T20I: Suryakumar Yadav Opts to Bowl First The first T20I of the five-match series between and England will be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday,