Big picture: Let’s try that again
And despite the continuing woes of Sanju Samson – scores of 5, 0 and 1 in his last three innings – India’s management remains coy as to when and where they might finally unleash 15-year-old phenom Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on international cricket.
England, too, will be better for the run-out – not least the captain, Harry Brook, who has had three more days to attune himself to T20 again after the Tests against New Zealand. Saqib Mahmood was the standout performer, making an encouraging return post-knee surgery, but he is set to make way for the returning Jofra Archer, who was not considered for the first T20I after his involvement at Trent Bridge, as one of two changes to the bowling attack.
Form guide
India LLWWW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
England LWWWW
In the spotlight: Phil Salt and Sanju Samson
Team news: Archer back, Sooryavanshi wait to continue?
England 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Harry Brook (capt), 4 Jacob Bethell, 5 Tom Banton, 6 Sam Curran, 7 Will Jacks, 8 Liam Dawson, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Jofra Archer, 11 Josh Tongue
Morne Morkel, India’s bowling coach, suggested they won’t “tinker too much” when asked the inevitable question about Sooryavanshi. India went with three spinners in the first game (although no one got a bowl) and could stick with that combination.
India (probable) 1 Sanju Samson, 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Ishan Kishan (wk), 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Harshit Rana, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Varun Chakravarthy
Pitch and conditions: turn, bounce… and runs
Old Trafford’s pitches have traditionally offered something for spinners and seamers, with the bounce benefiting both – but they can be good to bat on, too, as demonstrated by England putting up 304 for 2 last year (the first time 300 had been scored in a match between Full Members). The surface is a fresh one, despite the Women’s T20 World Cup recently being in town, with a little grass left on.
Stats and trivia
- The washout at Chester-le-Street was India’s third no-result from three trips to the ground. Only England at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai have played more games at a venue without getting a positive result (four Tests, four draws).
- Axar Patel is one appearance from equaling MS Dhoni on 98 as India’s fifth-most capped man in T20Is; he needs one more wicket to become the fourth Indian with 100 wickets in the format.
- Adil Rashid, on 164 right now, needs two wickets to reach No. 2 on T20I wicket-takers’ list. Rashid Khan leads the table with 193.
Quotes
“It’d be a huge confidence-booster, a series win against the top team, the champions back-to-back. They’re obviously a great team… It’d be great if we can get a series win, just for England cricket in general.”
Sam Curran believes beating India would be a significant boost at a turbulent time for English cricket
“We just need to also respect the fact that we have the No. 1 batter in T20 cricket, Abhishek Sharma. Sanju [Samson] was the player of the World Cup, he had a great IPL. As a coaching staff, it’s only fair to show the faith and back your players.”
India bowling coach Morne Morkel hints that Sooryavanshi will have to wait his turn
Alan Gardner is a deputy editor at Cricinfo. @alanroderick