After a hard-fought Test series, a more even contest awaits the visitors as India and England lock horns in the 1st T20I at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

No.1 and No.2 in the ICC T20I team rankings, England and India are two teams that have dominated the white ball scene in the last couple of years. With the T20 World Cup in focus, both teams might look to experiment and find their ideal XI as the series goes on. India have won 13 of their last 15 completed T20Is, a run stretching back to November 2019. England, meanwhile, have won eight of their last 10 completed T20Is and are in equally good form.

Pitch conditions

The two Tests in Ahmedabad saw completely different surfaces, with the final Test match having a more even, flatter wicket with early help for the seamers. It’s likely to be the case for the first T20I with a flat batting track expected. There isn’t much dew expected, so the team winning the toss might want to set a total rather than chase one down.

Weather forecast

The humidity is just 30 per cent and there’s zero precipitation probability according to weather reports for the first T20I. Conditions are dry with temperatures expected to rise to between 37 and 40 degree Celsius.

India v England 1st T20I: Team news

India

India have several important calls to make ahead of the first T20I with several new players and a lot of the old guns back in the team. For the first time since late 2019, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are available in the same T20I squad and it raises questions about who would sit out. Suryakumar Yadav’s inclusion puts Shreyas Iyer’s place at risk while Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan are likely to fight for the one spot in the middle-order.

With Varun Chakravarthy and Rahul Tewatia reportedly failing fitness tests, Yuzvendra Chahal could be partnered by Axar Patel and Washington Sundar in the spin department. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is expected to play his first game for India since December 2019.

England

England have a top-order conundrum too with the likes of Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow vying for spots at the top of the order. Liam Livingstone is another left-field candidate likely to contest either for a finisher role or at the top. Skipper Eoin Morgan almost confirmed that Stokes would continue in the middle-order.

Dawid Malan should continue at No.3 with Morgan, Stokes and Buttler (or Bairstow) in the middle-order. Moeen Ali and Sam Curran could be fighting for one all-rounder spot in the team. Adil Rashid is the only frontline spinner in the squad. Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Reece Topley and Mark Wood will be contesting for three pace bowling slots with Sam Curran’s added batting capabilities making him another potential pick.

India v England predicted XI

India: KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Deepak Chahar.

England: Jason Roy, Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Eoin Morgan, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Jofra Archer, Chris Jordan, Mark Wood.