The Indian team is set to play a five-match T20I series against England where the side will be led by Suryakumar Yadav. The series opener will be held at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata and India will be hoping to continue their dominance in T20Is against a strong England team.

Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson tried his hand at singing a popular Bollywood song and shared the video on Instagram, seeking feedback. Captain Suryakumar Yadav responded, reminding the Kerala star to focus on the upcoming T20I series.

India's T20 prowess is way ahead of what they have shown in red-ball cricket, said veteran journalist and THE WEEK Consulting Editor, Sports, Ayaz Memon, after the Men in Blue won the first T20I again

On January 21, amid the ongoing controversy, Sanju Samson’s father, Samson Viswanath, alleged that some figures within the Kerala Cricket Association hold personal grudges against his son. He claimed that his son's exclusion was premeditated, saying:

In recent times, Sanju Samson has emerged among India's top batters in the shortest format. He been in scintillating form, scoring three hundreds in his last six T20I innings for India.

India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has reaffirmed Sanju Samson's pivotal role in the squad, praising his recent performances and dispelling any doubts about his wicketkeeper position as India prepares for the T20I series against England in Kolkata.

Sanju Samson's omission from India's Champions Trophy squad has been linked to his absence from Kerala's Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign.

India opener Sanju Samson is on a verge of bettering MS Dhoni's record during T20I series against England that starts on Wednesday at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. This is the first bilateral series for India where the Men in Blue will play five T20Is and three ODIs before they fly out to Dubai to play the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

With KCA president Jayesh George last week slamming Samson and affirming that he cannot "turn up for Kerala whenever he feels like", the upcoming five-match T20I series against England has become a crucial iteration for the 30-year-old.

India ride on Abhishek Sharma's 34-ball 79 and a clinical display from bowlers as the hosts beat England by 7 wickets in the first T20I. India take 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

India (IND) and England (ENG) are set to continue their ongoing T20I series with the second T20I at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday, January 25. The hosts won the first T20I of the series by seven wickets in Kolkata and are leading 1-0.

Unruffled by the lingering fitness concerns surrounding Mohammed Shami, the well-oiled machine that is India's T20 team will be eyeing an encore of its opening game performance against a stunned England in the second game of a five-match series, on Saturday. ( 2nd T20I Key Battles | Full Coverage)