Summary

  • Second T20, Chennai

  • India chase down 166 in final over to win by two wickets

  • Varma finishes unbeaten on 72; Carse takes 3-29

  • England 165-9: Buttler 45 (30), Carse 31 (17); India spinners claim six wickets

  • India take 2-0 lead in five-match series

  • Third T20 at Rajkot on Tuesday (13:30 GMT)

Live Reporting

by Tom Rostance & Timothy Abraham

  1. Eng 4-0

    India left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh finds some inswing to Phil Salt with his first delivery, but the England opener is able to whip for four over midwicket. Nice start.

  2. 'India set the tone'

    Sir Alastair Cook
    Ex-England captain on TNT Sports

    England found it hard to pick the subtle variations of the India bowlers. You talk about setting the tone and India did that. From the first over of England's innings they were on top and England never recovered.

  3. 'England must impose themselves'

    Steven Finn
    Former England fast bowler on TNT Sports

    England need to impose themselves earlier in the game today. They lost the toss on Wednesday and were on the rough end of the conditions slightly - but India ran away with it.

  4. Crowd in ChennaiReuters

    Phll Salt and Ben Duckett have made their way out to the middle.

    Arshdeep Singh will start for India with the ball.

  5. Kieran Parmley
    Cricviz analyst

    No real surprises at the toss with both sides wanting to chase, the chasing side won six of the nine games in Chennai during the 2024 IPL.

  6. 'Looks a good track'

    India captain Suryakumar Yadav: "We will look to bowl first. It looks a good track. We trained last night and there was a little bit of dew later on and so hope the wicket will play a little better later in the evening. It looks a good pitch, it looks hard and hopefully it stays that way for 40 overs.

    "We want to stick to doing the basics well as we did in the last game, in all departments. We are really looking forward to this the game. The catching is one department we have focused really well on as a team. The one thing that brings everyone together. It spreads a lot of energy and brings positivity as well."

  7. 'Same gameplan, but better'

    Jos Buttler and Suryakumar YadavGetty Images

    England captain Jos Buttler: "We'd have looked to have done the same and bowled first but it's the same plan, just do it better. Each game is a new opportunity. The guys are relaxed and looking forward to tonight. In all areas we are looking to be improve. Be more aggressive with the same gameplans, but just do it better.

    "The pitch looks a little bit different, yes. We'll try to assess conditions quickly and communicate that. It looks different from previous times here and hopefully it's a good wicket and a good match."

  8. The Teams

    India: Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh

    England: Phil Salt (wicketkeper), Ben Duckett, Jos Buttler (captain), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

  9. Smith makes England T20 debut

    Jamie Smith presented with his capGetty Images

    Jamie Smith will make his T20 debut for England against India after Jacob Bethell was ruled out in Chennai due to illness.

    England made one other change from the side that were trounced by seven wickets in the series opener in Kolkata as Brydon Carse replaced fellow fast bowler Gus Atkinson, who took some tap in the opener.

    Smith, who has cemented himself as England's first-choice Test wicketkeeper, will be a specialist batter with Phil Salt retaining the gloves.

    Jos Buttler's side can expect a trial by spin again after India included Washington Sundar to supplement Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi and Axar Patel.

    Dhruv Jurel also comes in for India, with the injured Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rinku Singh dropping out of the XI. Reddy's side strain has ruled him out of the rest of the five-match series.

  10. India won toss and bowl

    The toss took place a few moments ago.

    England captain Jos Buttler called 'heads' but it came down a tail.

    India skipper Suryakumar Yadav decided once again to bowl first. England mustered 132 in the first T20 international, they'll need to do better than that here.

  11. Welcome...

    Jos Buttler and Brendon McCullum look at the pitch in ChennaiGetty Images

    Winter white-ball thumpings have been the trend for England's cricketers of both genders so far in 2025.

    England's women were thrashed - again - by the Australian counterpart in the third and final T20 international of the Ashes earlier this morning.

    Can the men's side redress the balance? Surely the Bazball white-ball era will click into gear sooner or later. Could today be the day? We'll find out over the next few hours.

    Welcome to live coverage of the second T20 between England and India from the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai.