Twenty20 world champions India will be out to impress in the coming weeks as they prepare to host England in an intriguing five-match series in the shortest format.
With the first encounter taking place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, this will be the first limited-overs series meeting between these sides since India's 2-1 triumph back in 2022.
India have since lifted the trophy at last year's T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA, beating South Africa in the final, but will be up against an England squad packed with T20 stars.
- INDIA TO WIN SERIES 3-2
- HARDIK PANDYA TOP INDIA RUNSCORER
- ADIL RASHID TOP ENGLAND WICKET-TAKER
India Can Edge Thrilling Series
History shows that T20 meetings between India and England are traditionally quite tight with their 24 encounters in the format producing 13 wins for India and 11 for England.
Add that to the fact both of these teams head into this series in good form and it is fair to suggest it could go down to the wire.
England are fresh from a 3-1 series win over West Indies with Phil Salt and Jos Buttler starring, while T20 world champions India have won every bilateral T20 series they have played since August 2023.
Both teams have had to deal with changes to personnel and the fact England will be without Sam Curran, Will Jacks and Ben Stokes, coupled with conditions favouring the hosts, suggests India can edge this series 3-2.
INDIA TO WIN T20 SERIES 3-2
Pandya Could Lead By Example
India will head into this T20 series without big names Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who have retired from T20 cricket, but they will welcome back pace bowler Mohammad Shami after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
And the squad nonetheless looks dangerous with Suryakumar Yadav captaining the side and Sanju Samson a solid first-choice wicketkeeper.
In terms of with the bat, one player to keep an eye on is the ever-explosive Hardik Pandya.
Pandya was snubbed for the T20 captaincy for Yadav last year but could yet head to the Champions Trophy as vice-skipper.
In the meantime, though, he can let his play do the talking. Pandya struck 144 runs at the T20 World Cup last year and he showed promise towards the end of last year with scores of 39 not out and 47 against Bangladesh and another unbeaten 39 against South Africa in the T20 format.
India are set to play with a fairly flexible batting lineup and Pandya could be dangerous from multiple positions.
HARDIK PANDYA TOP INDIA RUNSCORER
England Spinner Primed To Make Most Of Conditions
Although the tournament did not unfold as they would have wanted, England oversaw some decent individual performances at last year's T20 World Cup, including that of Adil Rashid with the ball.
Rashid hoovered up 10 wickets in the tournament and he remains a lethal player for England in this format.
He picked up a modest four wickets in the recent series with the West Indies but conditions in India will suit the spinner, who could be England's top bowler across the series.
ADIL RASHID TOP ENGLAND WICKET-TAKER
