After a convincing show against minnows Ireland, Team India will play three T20Is against England to kickstart a tour that will then see them play three ODIs and five Test matches. With the English batsmen in ominous form, it will be important for the Indian bowlers to strike early and set the tone.
CricketNext takes a look at 5 English batsmen who could run away with the game in this format:
Jos Buttler
Post Kevin Pietersen, Buttler is undoubtedly the global T20 superstar for England at present. The batsman is in the form of his life and that was on display in the lone T20I against Australia when he smashed 61 off just 30 balls. His experience with Rajasthan Royals in the IPL will stand him in good stead when he takes on the Indian bowlers in the three-match T20I series. Buttler has been instrumental in making England the no.1 side in ODIs and the no.4 side in T20Is. He has six fifties to his name and would love to add a few more against the quality Indian bowling attack. Comfortable off both the front and backfoot, the Indian bowlers will definitely have their task cut-out if Buttler gets going at the crease.
Jonny Bairstow
Having had a tough time competing for the wicket-keeper’s slot with Buttler at the start of their careers, Bairstow is now a permanent fixture in the English squad thanks to the tons of runs he scored in domestic cricket. One of the backbones of the English batting unit, Bairstow has the knack of switching gears with utmost ease and can take the opposition by surprise. A solid defence is accompanied by an array of shots that makes him a delight to watch. Having had a good run against Australia in the recent ODI series, Bairstow would now look to take the opportunity to improve his T20I records when he takes the field against the Indians.
Alex Hales
Had it not been for England’s transition from a ‘safety-first’ to the current ‘fearless’ approach, Alex Hales might still have been playing domestic cricket. But with a change in attitude, after the team’s dismal journey in the 2015 World Cup, England have found one of their best openers in the limited-overs format in Hales. Starting the innings with a bang, Hales has time and again taken the opposition bowling to the cleaners. The Indian bowlers must look to send him back early if they wish to stay in the game as the opener has the ability to take games away with his destructive onslaught at the top of the innings.
Eoin Morgan
The leader of the pack and the man responsible for the resurgence of Team England in the limited-overs format, Morgan has time and again emphasised on the need to stay positive and take the attack to the opposition. He has been the finisher for England and would once again love to pack a punch at the end of the innings against the quality Indian attack. His innovative strokeplay can take the best of bowlers by surprise and he would look to do just that with the Indian bowlers after a mediocre ODI series against Australia.
Jason Roy
Another product of the fearless brand of cricket that England has invested in, Roy has the potential to get stuck into the best bowling attack on his day. While consistency has been a factor for the batsman, as was evident even during his stint with Delhi Daredevils in the IPL, the just concluded series against the Australians saw him scoring runs at will. He loves to play straight and that makes him all the more dangerous against the new ball. England will definitely be looking at him to take the attack to the Indian new-ball bowlers. With just two fifties against his name in the format, Roy would definitely want to make a statement in this high-octane three-match T20I series.
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