England v India T20 Series preview: England face first real white ball test

England’s three-match T20 series against India gets underway on Thursday with the home side having defeated India in a Test match on Tuesday.

England will be looking to continue their fine form with the white ball after defeating the Netherlands 3-0 in their ODI series in June. India will pose a much greater threat but newly appointed captain Jos Buttler will be hoping for a similar result.

The Opener

The series gets underway at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Thursday evening. Head coach Matthew Mott will take charge of his first T20 match and having replaced Eoin Morgan as the permanent captain Jos Buttler will lead the side.

The added pressure of the captaincy is not expected to massively effect the vastly experienced Buttler’s personal performance as he is hotly tipped to be England’s top batsman at 5/2.

Having just played in the hard-fought Test match victory over India, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Test captain Ben Stokes have not been included in the T20 squad. Yorkshire’s Harry Brook is named in the squad after averaging 48 with the bat in the Vitality Blast this year and Matt Parkinson takes the place of Adil Rashid who misses out through personal reasons. He will be hoping to make the most of this opportunity and looks likely to do so as 10/3 joint-favourite to be England’s top bowler.

Lancashire’s Richard Gleeson is the only debutant in the squad. The right arm seam bowler took a career best 5-33 in this season’s Blast and is set to continue his wicket taking form at 4/1 to be his side’s top bowler.

Jason Roy is nailed on to open the batting for England as he has done so to great success in previous years. Surrey’s white ball batting sensation is notorious for his big hitting and fast scoring and at 3/1 to be England’s top batsman don’t be surprised if his performance is one to be remembered.

Tymal Mills has been around the T20 scenes around the world for years. The Sussex star is joint favourite at 10/3 to be his side’s top bowler and with hundreds of white ball wickets to his name he will have hopes of collecting a load more against India.

India’s squad is full of stars, not least captain and star batsman Rohit Sharma. The vastly experienced opening batsman is 11/4 favourite to top score for his side and his runs could prove extremely valuable to his side’s performance.

India’s favourite for top bowler is tricky leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal at 5/2. The 31-year-old was the first Indian player to take a 6-wicket haul in International T20 history and he will be hoping for much of the same in this match.

With form on their side England are favourites to win the match at 8/11. A win for the visitors is certainly not out of the question though and at 11/10 they are not a side to be underestimated.

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The Series

England are the favourites to win the first match and the same applies when it comes to the series as they are 8/11 to come out on top after three matches.

India are slight underdogs for the series at 11/10 but a victory in the first match could spark some momentum and see those odds shorten.

England secured a 3-0 whitewash in their ODI series against the Netherlands and are 9/2 to do the same in this series but with India being the top ranked T20 side it will not be an easy task.

An India whitewash victory seems unlikely at 6/1 and should they win the series a 2-1 victory appears much more possible at 7/4.

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