IND vs ENG, 2nd T20: Inclusion of Mohammed Shami in question, as India unlikely to tinker with winning combination

Chennai: Inclusion of pacer Mohammed Shami, who missed out in the first match on his comeback, will continue to be the talking point, even as India is likely to retain the winning combination in the second T20 match against England at the historic M A Chidambaram stadium here on Saturday.

Having taken a 1-0 lead in the five-match series in the opener at Eden Gardens, India, in all probability, is expected to retain the same XI which were part of the thumping seven wicket win.

With the Indian spinners exposing the England's batting chinks at Kolkata--despite seamers making early inroads--reducing them to a modest score and with the wicket in Chepauk, traditionally expected to aid the slow bowlers, India is likely to stick to the same team with three spinners.

Whether the team management will include offie and local lad Washington Sundar, who too can contribute with the bat, in place of leggie Ravi Bishnoi remains to be seen.

England on the other, having been beaten squarely in the first match, is keen to come up with an improved display in a bid to level the match 1-1.

But their main concern is how they are going to tackle the three Indian spinners, Varun Chakravarthy, who picked up three wickets and was adjudged the man of the match in Eden Gardens, left arm spinning all rounder Axar Patel and other spinner Ravi Bishnoi/Washington Sundar, if the latter was picked.

The 12 overs to be bowled by these three spinners are once again expected to be the key with the pace spearheads, Arshdeep Singh, who became the highest wicket taker for India T20s, and all rounder Hardik Pandya, despite being expensive, scalping two wickets each, all set for performing an encore.

Chasing a modest target of 133, India got off to a flyer with Sanju Samson and Abihishek Sharma firing at the top of the order, before Tilak Verma chipping in to guide the home, ensuring an early finish for the loss of just three wickets.

India's batting line up appear much stronger, despite skipper Suryakumar Yadav failing to trouble the scorers the other night, with the likes of Rinku Singh, in form Nitish Kumar Reddy and Axar Patel, who has time and again proved his all round capabilities both as a bowler and a batter.

With just two days gap, England did not have big time to prepare for the match and should soon iron out their batting woes, especially handling the spinners.

Except, skipper Jos Butler, who ploughed a lone furrow and anchored the innings with a 44-ball 68 in the first match, amid fall of wickets at regular intervals at the other end, the other batsmen should rise to the occasion in a bid to level the series.

There was enough talent in the present English squad with Phil Salt and Ben Duckett providing solidity at the top, followed by the skipper, Harry Brook and big hitting Liam Livingstone.

But the question remains is that the top and the middle order should fire in unison to make a match of it against the inform Indians.

On the bowling front, England has good pace in Jofra Archer, who troubled the Indian batters with his nagging line and picked up two wickets, and Gus Atkinson with Mark Wood being the third seamer.

Experienced leggie Adil Rashid leads the spin department along with Jamie Overton and part timer Livingstone.

However, considering the nature of the Chepauk wicket, the question is whether the visitors will retain the three pacer set up or consider bringing in Rehan Ahmed at the expense of a fast bowler to strengthen the slow bowling department.

A keen contest is on the cards on the morrow as India look to stretch the lead to 2-0 while England, though wary of the Indian depth, both in batting and bowling, keen to avenge the loss at the Eden Gardens and make it 1-1.