England have confirmed their team for the T20 International against India, which starts on Wednesday at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Lancashire’s Phil Salt will keep wicket and open the batting with Nottinghamshire’s Ben Duckett.
Captain Jos Buttler will bat at three and pace bowlers Jofra Archer and Mark Wood are named in the side.
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Phil Salt hits three back-to-back sixes to get England off to a strong start against Australia
The team is as follows:
1. Ben Duckett
2. Phil Salt (WK)
3. Jos Buttler (C)
4. Harry Brook
5. Liam Livingstone
6. Jacob Bethell
7. Jamie Overton
8. Gus Atkinson
9. Jofra Archer
10. Adil Rashid
11. Mark Wood
Test head coach Brendon McCullum is looking to rejuvenate England’s limited-overs teams after their surrender of both World Cup crowns, with captain Buttler now resuming his role as a specialist batter at number three.
“It’s going to be a great series against a really top side in their own conditions. So loads to look forward to,” Buttler said. “Phil Salt will keep wicket, he’s obviously been playing brilliantly in T20 cricket for a while now. Ben Duckett will be with him at the top of the order.
“It’s a really exciting tour coming to India with a full line up for us.”
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England head coach Brendon McCullum confirms Jos Buttler will not keep in the series in India
“The one thing he [Buttler] won’t be doing in this series is keeping wicket, he’s going to captain from the field,” former New Zealand captain McCullum told a press conference on Monday.
“That’s a really positive thing for us because it gives Jos the opportunity to have the last say with the bowler and to have that relationship build at that last second instead of being 22 yards away.
“We’ve got a really good squad; we’ve got lots of flexibility within the group. We’ve got heaps of options and it’s about piecing it all together which gives us the best chance.”
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