While the hosts India and the visitors England are set for the second T20I at Chennai, which will be played on Saturday (January 25) evening, England are set to make one key change in the playing XI. 

India won the five-match home T20I series opener against England last Wednesday (January 22) night as the hosts thrashed the English team by seven wickets. After the English batters failed, excluding only the skipper Jos Buttler (68), the hosts chased down the 133-run target comfortably in 12.5 overs after losing only three wickets, where the opener scored a firing 79 off 34 balls.

While India are leading this T20I series by 1-0, the visitors England have taken a decision on the playing XI for the Chennai T20I, where they are ready to make one change in the playing XI. 

See Also: ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year 2024: Surprising Exclusion of Indian, England and Australian Players

Gus Atkinson disappointed in Kolkata T20I

Pacer Gus Atkinson returned to white-ball cricket after more than a year during the last T20I at Kolkata. However, in that game, he had the bowling figures of 2-0-38-0. Indian opener Sanju Samson welcomed him in the white-ball format with 22 runs in the second over of the chase. In that over, Samson recorded 4, 4, 0, 6, 4, and 4 runs. He returned in the 11th over, where he conceded 16 runs, including two fours and one six.

Brydon Carse set to replace Atkinson 

While the right-arm fast bowler Atkinson failed to impress, the right-arm fast bowler Brydon Carse, who is also popular as a bowling all-rounder, is set to replace Atkinson in the Chennai T20I. The 29-year-old Carse has taken six wickets in four T20Is.

The 24-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith has been named as the 12th member of the squad for the Chennai T20I. While he has played nine Tests and seven ODIs, he is yet to make his T20I debut. 

England's playing XI for the Chennai T20I

Ben Duckett, Phil Salt (wk), Jos Buttler (Captain), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood. 12th man: Jamie Smith

England has made some changes for the second T20 match against India at Chepauk on January 25, as part of the 5-match series. In the first match in Kolkata, two changes were made to the England team. For this match, Jamie Smith has been included as the 12th man. Jacob Bethel's availability is uncertain due to illness, as he missed Thursday's training session. If he doesn't recover by match day, Jamie Smith could replace him.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: Will Shami Feature in India’s Predicted Playing XI?"

The confirmed change is that Gus Atkinson will replace Brydon Carse for this match. Gus's performance in the first T20 of this series didn't go well, as he gave away 38 runs in just 2 overs. In one over against Sanju Samson, he became expensive. Overall, he only bowled 2 overs and was replaced by Brydon Carse. Now, 29-year-old right-arm fast bowler Brydon Carse is ready to replace him for this match.

Brydon Carse comes in place of Gus Atkinson in England's XI for the 2nd T20I against India at Chepauk 🏏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿#BrydonCarse #GusAtkinson #INDvENG #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/Fy3QZLgXyV

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) January 24, 2025

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Brydon Carse has played 4 T20 matches, taking 6 wickets with a good economy rate of 7.66 and an impressive average of 15.33. He is ready to step in for this match.

From the English side, Jofra Archer was the most impressive in the first T20 match of the series in Kolkata. He bowled 4 overs, giving only 21 runs and taking two important wickets—first Sanju Samson and then Suryakumar Yadav.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma Finished—Fans React After He Scored 28 in Ranji 2024-25 Match Against J&K

India vs. England 2nd T20I Probable Playing XI:

India's probable playing XI - Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, and Varun Chakravarthy.

England's probable playing XI - Ben Duckett, Philip Salt (wk), Jos Buttler (c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jamey Smith, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, and Mark Wood.

Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson started the new year in a full mood as he smashed 22 runs in the second over of the chasing in the Kolkata T20I against the English pacer Gus Atkinson. The right-handed batter only dealt with the boundaries in that powerful over. 

Also Watch: Varun Chakravarthy's double put India in strong position

Sanju Samson hit 4,4,6,4,4

Chasing down the 133-run target, Sanju Samson faced all the first 12 balls of the second innings of the match. After scoring one run in the first over of Jofra Archer, Samson welcomed Atkinson with a four as the right-handed opening batter smashed a pull shot to a short delivery. On the next ball, Samson sweetly drove his bat as the ball traveled between cover and mid-off for another four. 

After a dot ball, Samson smashed a sixer over the cover. The opener scored the next two boundaries of the over through the on-side. After guiding the full ball between midwicket and mid-on, he just tucked the last ball for another four to the short fine leg.

4⃣, 4⃣, 6⃣, 4⃣, 4⃣

Dial S for Stunning, Dial S for Sanju Samson 🔥 🔥

Follow The Match ▶️ https://t.co/4jwTIC5zzs#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IamSanjuSamson | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/F6Ras6wYeb

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 22, 2025

Sanju Samson is in great form in T20I format

Samson scored 26 off 20 balls before Jofra Archer dismissed him. Before this T20I match, the right-handed batter hit three centuries in the previous five T20I innings. After scoring two back-to-back centuries against Bangladesh (111) at Hyderabad and against South Africa (107) at Durban, Samson scored two consecutive ducks at Gqeberha and Centurion, before his third T20I century in the Johannesburg T20I against South Africa (109*). He became the first batter to record three T20I centuries in a calendar year.  

At the end of the latest Kolkata T20I, the 30-year-old Samson has scored 836 runs in 38 T20I matches (34 innings) with an average of 27.86 and a strike rate of 154.24. Apart from three centuries, the right-handed batter has also recorded two T20I half-centuries. 

England have decided to play with the three frontline spinners for the Third Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, Rehan Ahmed who made his debut memorable back in December 2022 in Karachi is back for the third Test along with the Pacer Gus Atkinson. These two will replace Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts.

Can Rehan Ahmed shine again in Pakistan?

Rehan Ahmed last played in India, where he took 11 wickets in three matches, but he was sidelined for the entire English summer. He made his debut in Karachi in their 2022 Tour where he picked up five wickets and helped visitors complete their Whitewash against the hosts. Rehan has picked up 18 wickets at an average of 34.50 in 4 Tests. He will join the leading wicket-taker of this series Jack Leach and off-spinner Shoaib Bashir.

Gus Atkinson, who played in the first Test at Multan, took four wickets for 136 runs. He bowled brilliantly on the pitch, which helped the batters. He played a key role in achieving a reverse swing, dismissing Shan Masood and Babar Azam during the evening session on day four, leaving Pakistan struggling at 41 for 3.

While reverse swing might not come into play as much as it did in Multan, still Atkinson who bowls at 140 KPHs can certainly challenge the Pakistan batters. The other pacer along with Atkinson will be Skipper Ben Stokes who made his return to the side after nine weeks and bowled 10 overs combined in Pakistan's two innings. 

Pakistan have taken some measures in the past three days to make the Rawalpindi surface, which has historically favour Pacers more than Spinners. They have deployed industrial fans at both ends similar to what they did in Multan to dry the surface. These adjustments have led England to believe that the pitch will now offer more support to spinners.

England's Playing XI For the Third Test:

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamies Smith (WK), Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, and Shoaib Bashir.

Star West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph caused a big scene at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on Day 3 of the second Test against England. During the 107th over, Joseph took on England’s young fast bowler Gus Atkinson and hit two powerful shots that were crucial for his team.

Joseph first pulled a delivery from Atkinson over deep mid wicket for a six, then smashed another ball over deep backward square leg for another huge six. The second shot was so well timed that it sailed into the stands and hit the roof of one of the boxes, causing tiles to fall on the crowd below. Fortunately, no fans were injured.

Watch Shamar Joseph’s incredible six

Joseph scored a quick 33 off 27 balls, including five fours and two sixes. He partnered with Joshua Da Silva for the tenth wicket adding 71 runs off 78 balls. Their stand frustrated England as they easily scored against a tired bowling attack.

Their partnership ended just before lunch when Joseph hit a delivery from Mark Wood straight to Gus Atkinson at mid on. Da Silva was left not out on 82, missing a well deserved century as he walked back to the pavilion.

England claims early breakthroughs on day 3

West Indies started their innings at 351/5 with Jason Holder and Joshua Da Silva. England struck early when Chris Woakes caught Holder’s edge and Jamie Smith took the catch. Kevin Sinclair followed but was out after scoring 4, caught by Harry Brook.

Woakes continued his good work by dismissing Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales with back-to-back deliveries. West Indies was all out for 457, taking a narrow lead of 41 runs.

Reportedly Sri Lanka pacer Dushmantha Chameera has been named as a replacement for Gus Atkinson by Kolkata Knight Riders for their upcoming season in the Indian Premier League.

Chameera to replace Atkinson

As per an IPL statement, Chameera will join KKR at a reserve price of INR 50 Lakh. Chameera has played 12 IPL games so far and taken nine wickets at an economy rate of 8.73. He has been part of Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and most recently for Lucknow Super Giants in 2022 in the Indian Premier League.

“Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have named Dushmantha Chameera as a replacement for England pacer Gus Atkinson for the upcoming edition of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024,” the IPL release said.

“Chameera will join KKR at a reserve price of INR 50 Lakh. The Sri Lankan speedster, who is known for his pace, and can trouble the batters with his swing and seam movements, was a part of Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2018 and 2021 IPL seasons, respectively. He represented Lucknow Super Giants in the 2022 season, where he picked up nine wickets from 12 matches,” it further added.

What happened to Atkinson?

On the other hand, the 26-year-old pacer from England, Atkinson has withdrawn from the TATA IPL 2024 with the English Cricket Board managing his schedule. Atkinson was about to play his first IPL. After Atkinson’s withdrawal, apart from Chameera, Mitchell Starc is the only overseas frontline quick in the KKR squad. Kolkata Knight Riders bought Starc for a record price of Rs 24.75 crore.

While Chameera will be an additional strength for KKR, the Sri Lanka pacer is injured at this moment. However, according to Sri Lanka’s team manager Mahinda Halangoda, “He’s feeling better now, but we won’t know for sure the exact nature of his injury until we hear back from the specialist,”