England opener Phil Salt completed 2,000 runs in international cricket on Friday. Salt reached this milestone during his side’s fourth T20I against India at Pune. During the match, he gave England a fine start, scoring 23 in 21 balls, with four boundaries after a string of low scores. In 69 matches, Salt has scored 2,004 runs at an average of 33.96 and a strike rate of 136.97. He has scored four centuries and nine fifties, with the best score of 122 in 64 innings. Since his debut for England in 2021, Salt has played both white-ball formats for the side. In 27 ODIs, he has made 866 runs in 25 innings at an average of 34.64 and a strike rate of 113.94, with a century and five fifties to his name, with best score of 122.

His T20I statistics are way better, having made 1,138 runs in 42 matches and 39 innings at an average of 33.47, strike rate of 161.87, with three centuries and four fifties. His best score is 119. He is among one of the best in T20Is out now.

England’s top-run-getter in international cricket is Joe Root, who has scored 20,387 runs at an average of 48.88 in 355 matches and 468 innings, with 52 centuries and 109 innings. His best score is 262. He is followed by Alastair Cook (15,737 runs in 257 matches at an average of 42.88 with 38 centuries and 76 fifties) and Kevin Pietersen (13,779 runs in 275 matches at an average of 44.30, with 32 centuries and 67 fifties).

Coming to the match, England won the toss and elected to field first. India was reduced to 12/3 by pacer Saqib Mahmood (3/35) after he got Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma and skipper Suryakumar Yadav in one over. Abhishek Sharma (29 in 19 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and Rinku Singh (30 in 26 balls, with four boundaries and a six) played crucial knocks, but India still reeled at 79/5.

An 87-run partnership between Hardik Pandya (53 in 34 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) and Dube (53 in 30 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) helped India reach 181/9 in their 20 overs. Overton (4/32) and Adil Rashid (1/35) also bowled fine spells.

In the run-chase, Phil Salt (23 in 21 balls, with four boundaries) and Ben Duckett (39 in 19 balls, with seven fours) put England to a fine start, adding 62 runs for the first wicket. However, Indian spinners helped the hosts bounce back and left England at 95/4. Harry Brook (51 in 26 balls, with five fours and two sixes) did score a half-century, but wickets fell quickly on the other end, with Harshit (3/33) and spinner Ravi Bishnoi (3/28) taking the spotlight. England was restricted at 166 and lost by 15 runs.

Dube got the ‘Player of the Match’ award. India has won the series 3-1.

India skipper Suryakumar Yadav lauded his team’s resilience after a disastrous start, crediting Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube for steering the innings to a competitive total in their 15-run victory over England in the fourth T20I here on Friday. India found themselves reeling at 12/3 in the second over, but Pandya and Dube stabilised the innings, guiding the hosts to 181/9. “We didn’t want to go back after 12/3. Three wickets in one over was too much. The way Hardik and Dube showed their experience was great,” Suryakumar said after India’s 15-run win.

Highlighting India’s intent, the India skipper said: “This is one thing we’ve been talking about — expressing yourself and batting the same way as in the nets. I think we are moving in the right direction.” Dube, however, was struck on the helmet in the final over and was substituted, paving the way for Harshit Rana’s unexpected yet dream T20I debut.

“I knew we could control the game after the powerplay. We picked a few wickets. Post drinks, Harshit Rana came in as the third seamer and delivered,” Suryakumar said.

Rana seized the moment with a stellar three-wicket haul.

“It is still a dream debut for me. When Dube came back, after two overs I was informed I will be the concussion substitute,” Rana said.

The young pacer revealed he had been preparing for this opportunity long before the series.

“I have been preparing for a while, not just for this series. I have been waiting for this moment [his debut] to prove myself. When I got the chance, I did not think of the circumstances and just thought about delivering. I have experience of bowling at the death [for KKR in the IPL] and relied on that,” Rana said.

England skipper Jos Buttler lamented his team’s missed opportunity after a strong start, admitting they failed to capitalize on the early breakthroughs.

“We started brilliantly, taking wickets in the powerplay and we were in a great position at the end of the batting powerplay. We should have gone onto win the game.

He acknowledged England’s key lapses, including a costly dropped catch.

“…We dropped Dube first ball and he went to play a really good innings. With the bat, we were in a fantastic position and lost a couple of key wickets.” 

Following his match-winning knock during the second T20I against England, India batter Tilak Varma heaped praise on skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership, pointing out how well he bonds with every player and gives them so much time. The Suryakumar-led India continued its winning ways in T20Is, beating England by two wickets in a thriller at Chepauk Stadium on Saturday, securing a 2-0 series lead in the five-match affair by chasing down 166 runs.

Speaking on Star Sports’ Cricket Live show, Tilak said, “I can only say one thing, not just for me. We both play together in the IPL (Indian Premier League for Mumbai Indians) as well. But even for any new player, he maintains the bond so well with every player. On the field, off the field too. He gives so much time to all the players. It feels great when someone like Suryakumar Yadav, the captain of India, is with us. Even if any new kid joins the team, it doesn’t feel like it with him.”

“He bonds so well with everyone. All that makes a lot of difference on the field. Especially when you see the batting and in the field, he is very friendly with everyone. You can understand where to go, in the field, and you have to understand a few things. All that becomes easy because he spends so much time with us. So, actually, not just for me but for the rest of the team, it’s very beneficial,” he added.

Tilak lauded the skipper for changing his career by giving him the number three spot to bat.

“As for this series, there is a left-right combination going on, so wherever I am needed, I am there. The flexibility is good, and I am adapting well to it. I am always ready,” he concluded.

As for the match, India won the toss and elected to bat first. Barring skipper Jos Buttler (45 off 30 balls, with two fours and three sixes), the England top order once again struggled against spin. A couple of useful cameos from Brydon Carse (31 off 17 balls, with a four and three sixes) and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith (22 off 12 balls, with a four and two sixes) took England to 165/9 in their 20 overs.

Axar Patel (2/32) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/38) caused England the most trouble.

In the run chase, India suffered setbacks in the first half, as Abhishek Sharma (12), Sanju Samson (4), skipper Suryakumar Yadav (12), Dhruv Jurel (4), and Hardik Pandya (7) perished one by one. Tilak got assistance from Washington Sundar (26 off 19 balls, with three fours and a six), in a 38-run partnership that helped India cross the 100-run mark from a poor situation of 78/5. After Sundar and Axar (2) perished in quick succession, with 40 runs left, Tilak had partnerships with Arshdeep Singh (4) and Ravi Bishnoi (9*) that helped India secure a win with two wickets and four balls to spare.

Carse’s brilliant spell of 3/29 and a strong spell of 1/14 by spinner Adil Rashid went in vain as India took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Ahead of the first T20I between India and England, a video of England captain Jos Buttler has gone viral. In the video, Buttler has been filmed taking an autograph from an Indian cricketer. However, it isn’t the autograph of anyone he will be facing in the series, but that of specially-abled cricketer Dharamveer Pal. The latter regularly visits senior India cricket games, and plays cricket on a wheelchair. Recently, India were also crowned winners of the Physical Disability Champions Trophy.

In the video, Buttler could be seen taking Dharamveer’s signature on a cricket bat. The bat also seemingly had a number of other signatures.

The Indian Physical Disability team won the Physical Disability Champions Trophy earlier in 2025, beating England in the final by 79 runs.

On the other hand, Buttler will be captaining England in the T20I and ODI series against India, before leading his country at the Champions Trophy 2025.

India vs England

India take on England in a T20I series after nearly three years, with the two sides having last met in a bilateral in the shortest format in 2022. On that occasion, India had beaten England 2-1 in a three-game series.

India will be led by Suryakumar Yadav in the T20I series, continuing on with a young squad. Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma will be batters to watch out for in the team.

However, England’s powerful T20I squad will be a tough hurdle for India. The likes of Buttler, Phil Salt and Liam Livingstone with the bat, and a bowling attack led by Jofra Archer, is expected to give India a good run for their money.

The first of the five T20Is will be held at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

England will take India on in a three-match ODI series after the T20Is conclude, as both sides prepare for the Champions Trophy.

IND vs ENG 1st T20I LIVE Streaming© AFP

The world champions, Team India, and the visiting England squad arrived in batches on Saturday evening ahead of their series-opening T20I here on Wednesday. With a slight nip in the air, cricket fever is set to grip Kolkata once again as the iconic Eden Gardens prepares to host its first T20 International in nearly three years. Beginning with the Eden T20I, the two teams will fight it out in a full white ball series, consisting five T20Is and three ODIs, which will serve as a crucial warm-up for the Champions Trophy, slated to begin on February 19 in Pakistan and Dubai.

English all-rounder Liam Livingstone, fresh from his stint with Pretoria Capitals in the ongoing SA20, was the first to check in, flying directly from South Africa.

The Jos Buttler-led rest of the England squad, which had been training in Dubai, arrived later in the evening.

Being a fresh series, Team India players also trickled in from their respective hometowns.

Rising stars Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rinku Singh were among the first to arrive in Kolkata at 4:30 pm.

Later in the evening, captain Suryakumar Yadav landed along with Tilak Varma, who shared a photo of the duo sitting together on the flight in his Instagram story.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir and rest of the players checked in later in the evening.

Making his international comeback after more than 14 months, pacer Mohammed Shami and all-rounder Hardik Pandya are slated to land around midnight, said the local team manager.

Both teams will have three training sessions ahead of the opening T20I.

The England squad is scheduled for an afternoon practice session on Sunday, while Team India will take the field in the evening.

From here the teams will travel to Chennai for the second T20I (January 25) and the five-match series will conclude in Mumbai on February 2.

It will be followed by ODIs in Nagpur (February 6), Cuttack (February 9), and Ahmedabad (February 12).

India enter the series on a high after a commanding 3-1 victory against South Africa in their previous T20I series, led by Suryakumar Yadav.

Rohit Sharma will return to captain the ODI squad, which was announced in Mumbai on Saturday along with India’s Champions Trophy roster.

This marks Eden Gardens’ first International match since hosting the ODI World Cup clash between Australia and South Africa on November 16, 2023.

The historic venue last hosted a T20I on February 20, 2022, when India faced the West Indies.

The Cricket Association of Bengal expects a full-capacity crowd for the series opener.

“With a bit of chill in the air and the festive season just behind us, it’s the perfect time to enjoy cricket,” said CAB president Snehasish Ganguly. “The response for tickets has been overwhelming, with queues stretching all the way to the High Court when counter sales began the other day. We are expecting a full house for the match.” To make the occasion even more memorable, the CAB has organised a special felicitation ceremony on Monday evening.

The event will honour the Under-15 women’s champions team, as well as the senior women’s side, who finished as runners-up in both the domestic T20 and one-day tournaments.

Former India captain Mithali Raj will be the chief guest, joined by iconic city legends Sourav Ganguly and Jhulan Goswami.

The CAB also hopes the presence of Indian T20I skipper Suryakumar to add further star power.

File photo of Jasprit Bumrah© AFP