India vs England 2nd T20I is set to be played on Saturday, July 4, at the iconic Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester, with fans hoping for a full game after the rain washed out the series opener. The match is scheduled to begin at 9:30 PM IST, and both teams will be eager to make the most of what has already become a crucial contest in the five-match series.
Ahead of the second T20I, England have announced their playing XI and made a couple of notable changes from the side that took the field in the opening match against India. The biggest talking point is the return of Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue, both of whom missed the first game because of workload management.
Their inclusion has come at the expense of Luke Wood and Saqib Mahmood. Mahmood, in particular, will feel hard done by after producing a superb spell in the first T20I. The right-arm pacer was England’s standout bowler, finishing with figures of 3 for 33 in his four overs. He struck key blows by dismissing Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma, and looked in complete control throughout his spell.
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His omission for the second match has therefore raised a few eyebrows, especially with Josh Tongue now set to make his T20I debut. Jofra Archer’s return is expected to add serious firepower to England’s attack. The experienced quick was in excellent form for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026, finishing as their leading wicket-taker with 25 wickets, which also made him the third-highest wicket-taker in the tournament.
Two changes for Manchester 🔁
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— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 3, 2026
After being rested for the opener due to workload concerns following England’s Test series against New Zealand, Archer will now be hoping to make an immediate impact with the new ball at Old Trafford.
England have also gone with a balanced bowling combination for the second T20I, fielding two frontline pacers in Archer and Tongue, along with Sam Curran as the pace-bowling all-rounder. Their spin options include Liam Dawson and Will Jacks, while Adil Rashid remains the specialist spinner. On paper, it is a selection that offers variety, though it still comes as a surprise given the pace and bounce usually associated with Manchester conditions.
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Meanwhile, England also named their squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against India, which begins on July 14 after the five-match T20I series. Harry Brook will continue as captain, while all-rounder James Coles has earned his maiden ODI call-up. With both sides looking to steady themselves after recent turbulence, the upcoming white-ball contests promise to be an important test of depth and form.
