FANTASY
Follow UsWith the World Test Championship finals sealed, the focal point shifts towards the shortest format and its big event. With the World T20 at the far end of the year (October-November 2021), both teams look to rectify their flaws. The top two teams in the T20I rankings lock horns for a lengthy five-match series in Ahmedabad. England are the number one T20I side at present. However, for India to dethrone them, they have to win the series by 4-1 or 5-0.
The competition between the two teams has been even-steven. In 14 matches, both teams have won seven matches apiece. In any case, the outcome has been different in the last five matches as India have gained a huge upper hand by winning four out of those.
Head to Head
Overall: Matches – 14 | IND – 7 wins | ENG – 7 wins
Last five matches: IND – 4 wins | ENG – 1 win
SUGGESTED TEAM
While you could go for the above team, you also have the option of choosing you own team from cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. Based on algorithms we have come up with six different teams the could fetch crucial points.
GROUND DETAILS
When it comes to international T20s, only one matches has been witnessed at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. India took on Pakistan in 2012 and both teams had scored in excess of 180 – India scored 192 and Pakistan in replay fell short by 11 runs. But, in T20s since 2018, high scoring has been a difficult feat at this venue. In the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy 2021, on an average teams had scored 138 runs in the first innings. Only twice did the team batting first win in the seven matches played.
Spinners and pacers have bowled an equal share of overs, but it is the pacers who have bagged the large chunk of wickets, 64.7 percent to be precise. In terms of bowling strike rate as well, the pacers are way ahead with wickets at every 19.1 balls as compared to 30.2 for spinners. Spinners have just managed to cut the run flow by conceding at an economy of 6.7, whereas, the pacers have gone for 7.6.
TEAMS COMBINATION
Both the teams are heavily packed in the batting unit, especially the wicket-keepers. This is one of the reasons why we have gone with seven batsmen including the wicket-keepers, one allrounder and three bowlers. Though Rishabh Pant and Jos Buttler are the designated wicket-keepers, KL Rahul and Jonny Bairstow also come under the same category. Hence, we have picked four wicket-keepers. In the bowling unit, we have gone with two spinners and the allrounder being a pacer makes it two seamers.
There could be a few interesting matchups
The leg-spin of Yuzvendra Chahal has been a nemesis to Jason Roy in T20s. In the seven innings played against each other, Roy has been dismissed thrice at an average of 15.7. On the brighter side for Roy, his strike rate of 134.3 against Chahal should give him some confidence.
In a tussle between the two seaming all-rounders, Hardik Pandya has gained a huge advantage over Ben Stokes in T20s. Hardik has bowled to Stokes in three innings in T20s and has a 100% record. Stokes has scored at an average of 2.7 and has a strike rate of 88.9 against the likes of Hardik.
Against a super quick Jofra Archer, one batsman has stood tall and that has been KL Rahul. In T20s, Rahul has faced close to 15 overs of Jofra and has never been dismissed. In addition, he has scored runs at a brisk strike rate of 150.8. Among batsmen who have faced 30+ balls against Jofra in T20s, Rahul and MS Dhoni are the only two who are unbreached.
CAPTAIN SUGGESTION
KL Rahul: Since the start of 2018, Rahul has been one of those batsmen who has consistently been performing in both cricketing terms as well as fantasy. When he is in the eleven, it is hard to look past him as a captain. Since the aforementioned time, Rahul has scored over 3000 runs in T20s at a staggering average of 49.5 with a mind-blowing strike of 142.6. He has 32 scores of over 50 (29 – 50s & 3 – 100s) in 80 innings. These numbers are evident enough to say why he is one of the most consistent batsmen and our choice of captain.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, KL Rahul could score 18-41 runs in the first T20I against England.
X-FACTORS
Jos Buttler: Considered to be one of the most attacking batsmen, Jos Buttler has stupendous numbers when he has played in India. In 10 international T20 innings in India, Buttler has scored 254 runs at an average of 42.3 and a whopping strike rate of 158.6. The change over for Buttler came when he started to open the batting in 2016. He scored over 500 runs at an average of 50 and a strike rate 155. Since 2016 in T20Is, among openers who have scored 500+ runs his strike rate is the fourth-best. Undeniably one of our X-factors considering the average and strike rate.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Jos Buttler could score 15-38 runs in the first T20I against India.
Virat Kohli: The kingdom is incomplete without the King. Likewise, without Virat Kohli in the fantasy team, its incomplete. There is never a second taught about his impeccable consistency, an average of 50.5 even after scoring nearly 3000 runs is enough to make a statement.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Virat Kohli could score 17-40 runs in the first T20I against England.
Rohit Sharma: The deputy in charge of the Indian team has scored over 1000 runs in T20Is since 2018. He is one of the five players among the top 10 teams to feat this in this time. Against England as well, Rohit has done exceptionally well scoring at an average of 45.2 and a strike rate of 143. In his last innings against England, Rohit scored his third T20I century. There is no element of doubt on why he wouldn’t be an X-factor in the first T20I
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Rohit Sharma could score 14-37 runs in the first T20I against England.