SAM MOAKES looks at the main discussion points ahead of the three-match series at The Ageas Bowl, Edgbaston and Trent Bridge
Bazball this, bazball that. England's new white-ball captain-coach duo will want to remind the world the limited-overs side has been doing this for years, and they’ve been pretty good at it.
Jos Buttler, now in charge of the side following Eoin Morgan’s retirement, did captain the final ODI against the Netherlands, an eight-wicket victory that saw him crowned player of the series. However, he’ll want to prove he’s up to the task of following the toughest act in T20I history.
Matthew Mott, on the other hand, has done it all – two T20 World Cups, an 50-over World Cup and four Ashes series wins in charge of the Australian women.
Mott may once again have found an embarrassment of riches in England’s white-ball squad, but he takes charge of a side needing a World Cup to show for their T20I dominance in the last few years. Where better place to start than against India, who have beaten England in the last three T20I series.
While Harry Brook may have already made his England debut, scoring 10 from 13 balls in a T20I loss in the West Indies in January, the 23-year-old is due a run after a watching brief this summer. It’s not always a good thing being the name on Kevin Pietersen’s lips, but in this case, it might be quite useful.
England teased the youngster by adding him to the Test squad against New Zealand, but there is a real chance fans will get a good look at the in-form batter. Brook has taken his first-class form into T20 cricket for Yorkshire, scoring 434 runs at a strike rate of 165.64 in the Blast.
With Morgan’s spot in the middle order now vacant, Brook might finally get an extended chance to impress for England. And not before time.
Harry Brook will surely add to his single international outing this summer (Randy Brooks/Getty Images)
For a long time, all-rounders have ruled T20 cricket – in a format where your No.7 could be charged with taking crucial wickets or scoring a quick 30, the player who can do it all is crucial. This series contains some big names in the allrounder department, including Sam Curran, Chris Jordan and Ravindra Jadeja, but the battle between Moeen Ali and Hardik Pandya will be one to watch.
Both players come into the series with leadership credentials – Ali and Pandya led their sides in January matches against West Indies and Ireland respectively. The Englishman currently sits at No.3 in the ICC’s T20 allrounder rankings, while Pandya’s 487 runs and eight wickets in this year’s IPL served as another reminder of his usefulness in T20 cricket.
Runs and wickets are the name of the game, but who will come out on top?
Commentators consistently remind us that the Indian Premier League gives youngsters a taste of the big stage, better preparing them for international cricket. This series offers another test of that theory for India.
Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik are both part of the squad for the opening fixture, after breakout years in the IPL.
With just two internationals played between them – Malik turned out twice for India against Ireland last month – the two pace bowlers will be tested against some of the most destructive batters in the world, on their home turf. Is the IPL really the breeding ground for talent we think it is?
Umran Malik enjoyed a fine IPL (Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)
Look through both squads for this series and you’ll be hard-pressed to find any semblance of the old-school T20 anchor, out-of-form Virat Kohli aside, perhaps. India and England have some of the best white-ball hitters in the game, from Liam Livingstone to Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma to Buttler.
Only Martin Guptill has hit more sixes in T20 internationals than Rohit, while Buttler’s T20I average of 34.51 runs at a strike rate of more than 140 speaks for itself. Both players lead from the front, captaining and opening the batting for their respective sides, and will undoubtedly test the other’s nerve to bat big.
Who will lead their side to a 200+ score, and who will be 90 all out? It will be very, very watchable.
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