England have named a squad of 12 players for the second T20I against India amid doubts over the participation of one of their all-rounders.
On Friday (January 24), a day ahead of the second of five T20Is in India, England announced that Brydon Carse has replaced Gus Atkinson from the playing XI in the first match, while wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith has been added to the group to make up a 12-man squad.
This news comes following reports that all-rounder Jacob Bethell was not present at the team's training in Chennai, the venue for the upcoming game. The 21-year-old is reportedly suffering from illness.
Atkinson's exclusion is not thought to be injury or fitness related, but the pacer did come in for a hammering in the first ODI in Kolkata – conceding 38 runs in two overs as India chased down 133 in just 12.5 overs. Carse's last T20I came in September against Australia when he took 2-26 in four overs, accounting for opposition stand-in skipper Travis Head, and Tim David.
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If Bethell does not return in time for the second T20I, and Smith takes his place, England will be down one bowling option but will have three wicketkeeping options to choose from. Phil Salt took the gloves in Kolkata, with Jos Buttler continuing the new role he adopted in England's last series in the Caribbean as a specialist batter. Bethell did not bowl in the first T20I, and made a painful seven from 14 balls.
The visitors will be looking to hit back after they were comprehensively outplayed in the first T20I. India's spin trio of Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi took five wickets between them to bowl England out for just 132, before Abhishek Sharma slammed five fours and eight sixes in a 34-ball 79 to take India over the line.
England squad for second T20I against India
Phil Salt (wk), Ben Duckett, Jos Buttler (c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Jamie Smith (wk).
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