ENG vs IND: England rest star fast bowler for first T20I against India in Durham

England have unveiled their playing XI for the first T20I of the five-match series against India, beginning on Wednesday, July 1 at Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street. Fast bowler Jofra Archer has been rested for the series opener after featuring in the last two Tests against New Zealand.

Archer made his return to Test cricket after missing the last two matches of the Ashes 2025-26 due to an injury. The speedster was adjudged England’s Player of the Series against New Zealand for scalping 11 wickets from two matches at an average of 22.81.

In his place, Saqib Mahmood, Luke Wood and Sam Curran will fulfil the duties in the seam department, while Adil Rashid will lead the spin attack alongside all-rounders Will Jacks and Liam Dawson.

Harry Brook will return as the captain of the team, while Philip Salt and Jos Buttler will open the innings and Jacob Bethell will bat in the middle order. Meanwhile, ahead of the series opener, Brook has expressed his desire to captain England in Tests following Ben Stokes’ retirement after the New Zealand series.

Captaining England in Tests is a dream: Brook

Brook was overlooked for the captaincy role after Stokes was suspended for the second Test at the Oval for breaching England’s night curfew, which was put in place following Brook’s fight with a bouncer in Wellington in 2025. In his place, Joe Root filled in as an interim captain for the second Test.

"Look, it would be a great honour to do it. It'd be a privilege to do it, to captain England in the highest format of our game, and the pinnacle. Playing Test cricket is the greatest thing that I've ever done in my life, and it's a dream, and something that I've always wanted to do since I could speak. It's not up to me, that decision, but if I got offered it, then I'd be happy to take it,” said Brook in the pre-match press conference ahead of the first T20I against India.

England’s playing XI for 1st T20I vs India: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, Harry Brook (captain), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood