Not Varun Chakravarthy, Abhishek Sharma! Suryakumar Yadav credits Gautam Gambhir for win in 1st T20I vs ENG

Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, India National Cricket Team hammered the England National Cricket Team at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in the first T20I of the five-match series on Wednesday, January 22.

Suryakumar Yadav's India National Cricket Team won the match by 7 wickets with 43 balls remaining to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Also Read: 'Suryakumar Yadav downfall era' - India captain labeled 'fraud' after failing in 1st ENG T20I

India demolish Three Lions in Kolkata

Team India played a fantastic brand of cricket in the T20I series opener. Winning the toss and bowling first, they restricted the opposition to a low total of 132 runs.

Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, and Hardik Pandya bagged two wickets each while Varun Chakravarthy delivered an exceptional performance as he took three wickets.

The run-chase was quite easy for the hosts as Abhishek Sharma showcased a batting masterclass and smashed 79 runs. Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma also chipped in with runs as the run-chase was completed in 12.5 overs.

All the bowlers had their own plans and executed -Suryakumar Yadav

Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, the Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav lauded the bowlers for executing their plans really well. He stated:

"The energy, the way we started, that set the benchmark. All the bowlers had their own plans and executed.

"(On picking three spinners) We wanted to stick to our strengths. All three of them are doing a wonderful job."

Suryakumar Yadav further showered rich praise on Varun Chakravarthy and Arshdeep Singh for performing well consistently. He also gave a special mention to head coach Gautam Gambhir, saying that he is giving a lot of freedom to players. Suryakumar Yadav elaborated:

"(On Varun) He's keeping things very simple, his preparations are on point.

"He (Arshdeep) took the responsibility and he's been doing it consistently. There's a lot of freedom being given by Gauti bhai. We've been working hard with the fielding coach.

Difference in India and England's Playing XIs from their T20 World Cup 2024 Semi-final Teams

The difference in the playing XIs of India and England in the 1st T20I against each other at Eden Gardens from the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup semi-final reflected on the transition phase in both teams.

In the semi-final, India’s top order saw Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant, with Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya anchoring the middle order with the latter also offering his pace-bowling services.

The spin-bowling all-rounders Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja provided stability with the ball and bat. India’s bowling department included Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, and Jasprit Bumrah, offering a potent combination of pace and spin.

Meanwhile, in the T20I match against the Three Lions, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma were the openers - replacing Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who had retired from T20I cricket post-T20 World Cup 2024.

The other batters in the line-up were Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rinku Singh, with the all-round duties being handled by Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Axar Patel. Also, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, and Varun Chakravarthy were the three pure bowlers in the XI.

On the other hand, England’s semi-final lineup had Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, and Jonny Bairstow leading the batting charge, while experienced all-rounders like Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, and Sam Curran added depth.

The fast bowling attack comprised Jofra Archer, Chris Jordan, and Reece Topley, with Adil Rashid handling the spin duties. In comparison, England’s team in the first T20I against India included a different mix, with Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, and Jamie Overton making up the squad alongside Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood, none of whom played in the semi-final.