Gautam Gambhir prays at Kalighat temple ahead of IND vs ENG clash at Eden Gardens tomorrow | see photo

India's T20 series against England commenced on January 22, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. This series marks India's first international engagement following their recent defeat to Australia. The Indian squad features key players such as Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, and Hardik Pandya. England's lineup includes Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, and Mark Wood. The match is scheduled to start at 7:00 PM IST.

Prior to the series, India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, visited the Kalighat Temple in Kolkata to seek blessings for the team's success. Gambhir participated in the temple rituals and received blessings from the priest, including 'Mata ki Chunri' and a garland. Earlier, players Rinku Singh, Anukul Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, and Varun Chakaravarthy also visited the temple to seek blessings from Goddess Kali.

In preparation for the series, India has adopted a flexible middle-order strategy, with positions three to seven remaining adaptable based on match situations. This approach aims to optimize batting performance against various bowling attacks. Axar Patel emphasized that this strategy is crucial for effective management of the batting lineup in T20 internationals.