England make changes ahead of second T20I against India

Chennai: England have made key changes to their squad ahead of the second T20 International against India on Saturday in Guwahati. Brydon Carse has been brought in to replace Gus Atkinson, while Jamie Smith has also been added to the squad.

Atkinson had a tough outing in the series opener in Kolkata, conceding 38 runs in two wicketless overs. India dominated the match, chasing down England’s total of 132 with seven wickets and over seven overs to spare.

Smith, who could make his T20 debut, was called up after Jacob Bethell missed training on Friday due to illness.

England’s struggles against spin were glaring in Kolkata, where Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel dismantled the batting lineup, sharing five wickets between them. Despite Jos Buttler’s valiant 68, England fell well short of a competitive total.

Reflecting on the difficulties, Harry Brook, who scored 17 in the opener, highlighted the impact of Kolkata’s smog on reading spin. “Chakravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler,” Brook said ahead of the second match in the five-game series.

With the series on the line, England will hope the changes in their squad can spark a turnaround against the reigning T20 world champions.