India vs England: The SkyBall vs Bazball clash opens up as two of the strongest teams in the 20-over format compete in the curtain raiser of the 5-match T20I series.
After a 3-1 domination over South Africa, India as the hosting side sets its target to extend its unbeaten winning streak in bilateral series since the T20 World Cup 2024 triumph. England’s recent performances with a 1-1 outcome against Australia and a commanding 3-1 victory over West Indies show their competence in the shortest format.
Mohammed Shami’s comeback into international cricket after a long gap, strengthens the men in blue’s bowling attack, while England’s youngster Jacob Bethell will be one of the promising candidates to watch out for sure.
Let’s dive deeper into this preview to find out the schedule, squads, weather forecast and pitch reports, toss outcome prediction, head-to-head stats, live-streaming, and telecast details ahead of the electrifying battle between these two powerhouses.
Match Details of India vs England, 1st T20I 2025
| Series | England tour of India |
| Season | 2024/25 |
| Match number | T20I no. 3082 |
| Venue | Eden Gardens International Cricket Stadium, Kolkata |
| Seating Capacity of the Stadium | 68,000 |
| Date | 22nd January 2025 |
| Day | Wednesday |
| Number of Overs | 20 Overs |
| Time | 19:00 IST |
Expected Playing XI for India vs England 1st T20I 2025
Possibly, you might expect these players to be included in the playing XI for the first T20I match between India and England:
India’s Predicted Playing XI for 1st T20I:
| S.No | Player | Role |
| 1 | Sanju Samson | Wicketkeeper Batter |
| 2. | Abhishek Sharma | Spin Bowling All-rounder |
| 3. | Suryakumar Yadav (Captain) | Batter |
| 4. | Nitish Kumar Reddy | Pace Bowling All-rounder |
| 5. | Tilak Varma | Batter |
| 6. | Hardik Pandya | Pace Bowling All-rounder |
| 7. | Axar Patel | Spin Bowling All-rounder |
| 8. | Arshdeep Singh | Bowler |
| 9. | Harshit Rana | Bowler |
| 10. | Mohammed Shami | Bowler |
| 11. | Ravi Bishnoi | Bowler |
England’s Predicted Playing XI for 1st T20I:
| S.No | Player | Role |
| 1. | Jos Buttler (Captain) | Wicketkeeper Batter |
| 2. | Ben Duckett | Batter |
| 3. | Harry Brook | Batter |
| 4. | Phil Salt | Wicketkeeper Batter |
| 5. | Liam Livingstone | Spin Bowling All-rounder |
| 6. | Jacob Bethell | Spin Bowling All-rounder |
| 7. | Brydon Carse | Pace Bowling Allrounder |
| 8. | Jofra Archer | Bowler |
| 9. | Gus Atkinson | Bowler |
| 10. | Saqib Mahmood | Bowler |
| 11. | Adil Rashid | Bowler |
Head-to-Head Stats of India vs England in T20Is
| Overall Matches Played | 24 |
| Matches Won by India | 13 |
| Matches Won by England | 11 |
| No Result / Tied Games | 0 |
| Home Winnings | India: 6 and England: 5 |
| Away Winnings | India: 4 and England: 5 |
| Winnings at Neutral Venue | India: 3 and England: 1 |
Weather Forecast Reports for IND vs ENG 1st T20I 2025
| Temperature During Match | 19 °C to 23 °C |
| Humidity | 61% |
| Chances of Rain | Nil |
Pitch Report of Eden Gardens Stadium
Renowned for its well-balanced pitch, Eden Gardens is an international cricket stadium, favoring both batsmen and bowlers.
The surface assists pacers by providing a good level of bounce. In addition, the spinners have the potential to produce a high level of turns in their deliveries, thereby making it more challenging for the batsman to strike the ball with perfect timing.
But it is to be noted that this pitch favors both, so once the ball hits the bat, the pace of delivery is equally transformed into a terrific shot.
Batters ensuring their presence at the crease for a longer duration gain additional benefits since the bounce and pace remain unaltered throughout the inning.
Toss Prediction and Average Score
In the most probable case, the toss-winning team will likely choose to chase because of the dew factor coming into play, especially during night matches.
Considering the pitch conditions, teams batting first might have a tough time facing the challenging deliveries bowled by a quality bowler. This is due to the incredible bounce that the pitch offers. But if they opt to chase, the batters would be able to adapt playing steadily instead of experimenting and getting disappointed by the pitch.
However, there is another reason why the team might decide to NOT BAT first, instead, they would pick to BOWL FIRST!
According to the analysis, the average score in this stadium during the first innings is reported to be 160 to 170 runs. And, this score is considered to be moderately low as of 2024 or in upcoming years when teams have been surpassing the 200-score with ease.
So, now if the toss-winning team between India vs England in the 1st T20I 2025 match would select to chase, it is because they feel the first-batting team will score less. Therefore, chasing a moderate score is easier than struggling with the pitch’s opening condition.
At the same time, the first batting teams with a strong set of batters have equal chances to accumulate a competitive total for their team.
Live Streaming and Telecast Details
Fans residing in India or England can watch the Live match through the below-mentioned platforms:
- INDIA:
- Live-Streaming: Disney+Hotstar (App and its Official Website)
- TV Channel: Star Sports Network
- ENGLAND:
- Live-Streaming: Discovery+ App
- TV Channel: TNT Sports Network
Who will win India vs England 1st T20I Match? Final Prediction
According to the experts’ prediction, India has a higher chance of taking a 1-0 lead in the opening match against England. Ultimately, the Indian squad blended with young and experienced players is set to maintain their domination in T20Is by engaging in a competitive battle against a formidable English side.