'Sky is the limit'

India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav watches the ball after playing a shot during the first T20I against Bangladesh at Gwalior on October 6, 2024. Pic/AFP

Big guns Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will not fire for India anymore, the two having retired from T20 Internationals after the World Cup last year. But, then, that's far from the talking point before Suryakumar Yadav and his men take on England at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday. No, it's not about the two's terrible batting form in recent months, but the manner in which India have approached cricket's shortest format post the Caribbean conquest. The new mantra seems to be ‘SKY is the limit' with batters quickly imbibing the spirit of their new skipper. A team that was already pushing the boundaries in aggressive batting has found a new gear. T20's record-breaking year had ended with ridiculous run-rates.

Big contest

For T20 fans, it's just as well that the hosts will be up against England in the five-match series that begins here. Jos Buttler & Co have arrived with the material and mood to make this a real contest. At the Eden, with its perfect pitch and short boundaries, the teams could well set the tone with a rollicking run-feast.

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If the likes of Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma and SKY promise to provide the perfect launch to the innings, England have their men in Phil Salt, Ben Duckett and Buttler. Both Salt and Buttler have happy memories of the ground from last year's IPL. Seven in the visitors' squad enjoy this familiarity factor.

In a match loaded in favour of batsmen, the impact of bowling units could well decide the outcome. The Indians have the arduous task of delivering without Jasprit Bumrah's incisive pace and fit-again Mohammad Shami, Harshid Rana and Arshdeep Singh will have to rise to the occasion. KKR's Varun Chakravarthy, among wickets here and in SA, will be back to familiar conditions. Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi and Washington Sundar add nice variety to the spin department while Hardik Pandya's pace is a handy option.

Pace aces

England's pace bowling has the more ominous look. The likes of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood will enjoy the bounce and ‘carry' of the Eden strip but Adil Rashid's maturity as a leg-spinner could well thrust him into a crucial role. It could be a good toss to win with dew usually playing a big role at this time of the year. India, reigning World T20 champions, had knocked out England in the semi-finals, an outcome that has had heads rolling. It has left both teams with just that whiff of the ‘new.'