England suffered a heavy defeat to India in the first of a five-match T20 series in Kolkata as Jos Buttler’s side paid for a subpar batting effort.

The captain was a lone ranger as the rest of his teammates succumbed to a scintillating spell of new-ball bowling from Arshdeep Singh and the wiles of India’s spin trio. A total of 132 all out was never likely to be enough at Eden Gardens with the outfield rapid, the surface true and dew descending - and so it proved as the hosts blasted to victory. Abhishek Sharma was the star, showing off his range of hitting with a 34-ball 79 that included eight sixes with Gus Atkinson taking particular punishment.

The match was England Test coach Brendon McCullum’s first in charge since taking the white ball reins. Yet more struggles against the turning ball for his side will be reason to fret both with the rest of the series to come and the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, which begins on 19 February and will be held in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

Re-live all of the action from Eden Gardens below:

India vs England LIVE

• England beaten by world champions India in the first of five T20 matches

• Abhishek Sharma blasts hosts to rapid victory with eight sixes in his 79

• India dominate with the ball to keep England to modest total of 132 all out

• Jos Buttler plays lone hand of 68 to ensure respectability as others struggle against spin

Abhishek Sharma speaks after his brilliant 79

16:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle

"I wanted to express myself, special mention to captain and coach, the freedom they have given us as youngsters is tremendous. It was sticking a bit, double-paced, but the way our bowlers bowled was good, thought we'd chase 160-170.

“Sanju and I talk as partners, I enjoy at the other end. When I came for the first time in the India team, my plan was simple, play like I played in IPL. But never seen an environement like this, express yourself, hit your shots, even from the first ball. I practice my trigger movements before the match, I knew they'd bowl short and check my patience."

India win by seven wickets with 43 balls to spare!

16:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A little bit of luck for Tilak Varma as a misjudged slog flicks over the head of Phil Salt, but that’ll do it for India! A comprehensive victory set up by their bowling attack and finished off by a masterclass in T20 striking from Abhishek Sharma.

India 127-3; Varma 14, Pandya 2 (12 overs)

16:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Hardik Pandya arrives with India two hits away. A top edge lands safely to leave six required as Mark Wood charges up for what may be the final over...

OUT! Abhishek Sharma ct. Brook b Rashid 79 (India 125-3, 11.5 overs)

16:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle

That one does land in the hands. Trying to hurry to the finish, Abhishek Sharma comes down the track but doesn’t connect as intended, sending it down to long off where Harry Brook gathers comfortably. But what a knock - 79 off 34 balls with five 4s and eight 6s.

India 125-2; Varma 14, Abhishek 79 (11.4 overs)

16:22 , Harry Latham-Coyle

England just can’t seem to halt this charge. Abhishek Sharma lofts Adil Rashid for six before Jacob Bethell lets a difficult diving chance slip through his fingers. He’s a good fielder and made excellent ground to get there, but couldn’t grasp it.

India 116-2; Varma 14, Abhishek 71 (11 overs)

16:19 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Poor Gus Atkinson. The England seamer just looks totally out of sorts, his pace down, his attempted answers to India’s firepower proved rapidly incorrect by some more delicious striking. A wide yorker gets him out of the over but he’s gone for 38 from two and, with 17 required, may not get another.

India 106-2; Varma 9, Abhishek 66 (10.1 overs)

16:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Well this is rather resembling a traditional Eden Gardens innings under the lights - is there time for a twist?

Probably not. A glorious drive over mid off for six from Abhishek Sharma!

India 100-2; Varma 9, Abhishek 60 (10 overs)

16:14 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Liam Livingstone on and bowling off spin with two southpaws at the crease. An inside-out drive from Abhishek Sharma for four keeps them rumbling along.

India 93-2; Varma 8, Abhishek 54 (9 overs)

16:09 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A decent comeback from Jamie Overton, ever up for it having jawed a few times with the opposition during the Big Bash. Still ten from it, though, as England’s hopes fade into the Kolkata night.

50 for Abhishek Sharma! India 90-2; Varma 8, Abhishek 51 (8.2 overs)

16:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle

50 from 20 balls! What hitting from Abhishek Sharma, planting Jamie Overton’s bouncer ten rows back over fine leg. India are racing towards victory.

India 83-2; Varma 7, Abhishek 45 (8 overs)

16:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Into the attack comes Adil Rashid - could they have given him one in the powerplay? That does feel like a archetype this England XI is missing, with none of their spinners particularly proficient in the powerplay.

Shelled! A chance for Rashid down at his bootlaces and, in the end, a poor drop, giving Abhishek Sharma a life. The batter celebrates by clapping a slow front-of-the-hand ball for four and then launching a leg spinner for six over the head of a leaping Jacob Bethell at deep midwicket.

Another mighty maximum! Full, flighted, and sent downtown! Abhishek is showing off his strokeplay.

India 67-2; Varma 7, Abhishek 29 (7 overs)

16:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle

India see off England’s prize pony in this attack of thoroughbreds, Archer very nearly winkling out Tilak Varma with his final ball, which is fast and furious. 4-0-21-2 - it’s good, but almost certainly not enough.

India 63-2; Varma 5, Abhishek 27 (6 overs)

15:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Abhishek adjusts well as Mark Wood tries a slower ball, the off-cutter hit back over the bowler’s head for four. India are rattling along at more than tens as an all-seam powerplay concludes.

Surely it is time for some spin? Nope, here’s Jofra Archer to complete his allocation

India 57-2; Varma 4, Abhishek 22 (5 overs)

15:51 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Back-to-back sixes! India keep swinging, a lovely larrup to long leg from Abhishek Sharma followed by a flay as Mark Wood’s pace works against him.

India 45-2; Varma 4, Abhishek 10 (5 overs)

15:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Tilak Varma joins Abhishek Sharma with Jos Buttler very much vindicated in his decision to use up another of Archer’s quota. Nearly a third, too! Two slips are waiting but they can only watch a top edge over their heads.

India won’t go into their shell. Ah, the impudence of youth.

OUT! Suryakumar ct Salt b Archer 26 (India 41-2, 4.5 overs)

15:48

Suryakumar Yadav is the new batter with India seeking to preserve the right-hand/left-hand combination. And his stay is brief! Looking to get a move on, a shuffle across the stumps and big swing draws the top edge. Phil Salt has the gloves on and signs on for duty underneath the high ball - now then...

OUT! Samson ct Atkinson b Archer 26 (India 41-1, 4.2 overs)

15:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A breakthrough for England!

Sanju Samson’s fun is over. Jofra Archer gets a third over in the powerplay, underlining their need for wickets, and delivers, a short ball just hurrying the batter slightly. A flap carries to Gus Atkinson coming in off the square leg fence; England have their first.

India 39-0; Samson 24, Abhishek 10 (4 overs)

15:42 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A reminder that India might well like to have Yashasvi Jaiswal and, perhaps, Shubman Gill at the top of this order as they look to the future - plenty of options for Gautam Gambhir to consider.

This is a good stuff from Wood, though, properly thundering in and sending one down at 95mph that beats both batter and poor Phil Salt behind the stumps, who didn’t have a hope as it flew threw the gate like a bolting colt.

India 33-0; Samson 23, Abhishek 10 (3.1 overs)

15:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Right, here’s another of the gas men - Mark Wood back from a stress fracture in his elbow hoping to crank it up. This might be England’s fastest seam attack ever, you know - not that it’s doing them that much good so far.=

India 33-0; Samson 23, Abhishek 10 (3 overs)

15:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Archer continues, ratcheting it up towards 90mph and beyond. Abhishek Sharma takes two balls to settle himself before latching on to a short ball and crunching a cut over point, the left-hander prepared to flay uppishly and trust his connection.

More like it from Archer, his trademark angle in and nip away from the leftie. A beauty. But a slight failure in line grants Abhishek the room he desires to produce an even better offside shot - over the rope and six more to a rapidly swelling tally.

India 23-0; Samson 23, Abhishek 0 (2 overs)

15:31 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Yum! Sanju Samson is just so good for watch, and it really is perplexing that it took him so long to command a regular spot in this side. Gus Atkinson’s pace does not worry him, with a couple of steps down leaving him perfectly placed to steer him for six over cover with effortless ease.

Even better! Atkinson errs full, and he’s on-driven for a fourth boundary in the over.

Add four more, turned around the corner! 22 off the over - England are all over the place, minds and bodies whirring as India race out of the blocks.

India 9-0; Samson 9, Abhishek 0 (1.2 overs)

15:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Out comes the sawdust with England fretting over the landing areas at either end. The delay doesn’t hinder Samson - that’s b-e-a-utiful from the opener, a drive on the up bisecting extra cover and mid off.

India 5-0; Samson 5, Abhishek 0 (1.1 over)

15:26 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Gus Atkinson shares the new ball, and is immediately thrashed to the long leg fence, a telegraphed short ball comfortably played by Samson.

India 1-0; Samson 1, Abhishek 0 (1 over)

15:24 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A short leg! Hurrah! England are on the attack, Jos Buttler bravely under the lid at boot hill with a slip in place, too.

It’s good from Jofra Archer, too, tucking up Sanju Samson - they’ll be teammates at Rajasthan Royals again in a few week’s time. A quick single to cover from the final ball prevents a maiden.

India require 133 for victory

15:21 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Out to the middle come Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. New ball wickets a must for England, you’d think, with the dew coming down.

Jofra Archer will have first use of the fresh one.

India require 133 for victory

15:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Arshdeep, incidentally, is now India’s leading wicket taker in men’s T20 internationals, going past Yuzvendra Chahal. His 97 wickets have come in just about two and a half years; the great Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi took 98 in a 12-year career. How the game has changed.

India require 133 for victory

15:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Dear oh dear. A spritely enough start from England soon gave way to a muddle in the middle as India’s spinners showed their class. It was Arshdeep Singh, though, who set that up with an outstanding opening burst of left arm swing and seam, allowing Varun Chakravarthy and co. to go to work.

Jos Buttler’s 68 ensures that England have something on the board - but after the trials and tribulations of the Test team in India and Pakistan last year, one rather wonders whether Brendon McCullum has a solution for his side’s spin struggles.

England 132 all out (20 overs)

15:09 , Harry Latham-Coyle

An attempt to scramble a bye from the last brings England’s innings to a fitting end. India require 133 for victory at Eden Gardens.

OUT! Archer ct. Yadav b Pandya 12 (England 130-9, 19.4 overs)

15:07 , Harry Latham-Coyle

No such luck this time for Jofra - a slightly meatier connection brings about his demise with Surykumar Yadav trotting around from extra cover to take a simple catch.

Mark Wood has two balls to give it some humpty...

England 130-8; Rashid 8, Archer 12 (19.3 overs)

15:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Handy! A top edge over the keeper from a charging Jofra Archer earns him four as England creep closer to something vaguely respectable. A wide helps, too.

England 121-8; Rashid 8, Archer 3 (19 overs)

15:02 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Flair! That’s some shot from Adil Rashid, clearing the front leg and lifting with style over extra cover, using Arshdeep’s left-arm angle to his advantage. Arshdeep comes around the wicket and goes to the bouncer, Rashid ducking beneath having anticipated the response.

A toe-crusher strikes Jofra Archer and Surykaumar Yadav reviews at his bowler’s urging...though ball tracking confirms the initial thought that it struck Archer outside of the line of off stump. A review burnt by the hosts - not that it’ll much matter. Outstanding stuff from Arshdeep throughout.

Can England eke out 130?

England 114-8; Rashid 3, Archer 2 (18 overs)

14:58 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Axar Patel’s first over went for 15, but just seven more from the rest of his spell leave his figures just as fine as his tweaking colleagues. An exceptional comeback.

India won’t need Nitish Kumar Reddy, you wouldn’t have thought - Arshdeep to bowl the penultimate over.

England 110-8; Rashid 1, Archer 0 (17 overs)

14:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Right then, Adil Rashid and Jofra Archer, what can you muster? This pitch is turning but this feels like a wretched total on a surface that has looked relatively true.

A match-turning spell from Varun Chakravarthy, who England, Jos Buttler aside, just didn’t seem to pick: 4-0-23-3.

OUT! Buttler ct. Kumar Reddy b Chakravarthy 68 (England 109-8, 16.2 overs)

14:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle

What a catch! That’s the end of England’s set batter, understandably hitting out with partners running short but gone to a brilliant bit of fielding from Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Buttler had already hit one six to start the over, but an attempt to repeat the dose lands short of its intended destination. Still, it takes some catching, Reddy haring in off the square leg boundary and scooping it up off the turf like a warthog.

OUT! Atkinson st Samson b Patel 2 (England 103-7, 16 overs)

14:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Frustration for Jos Buttler with Gus Atkinson simply unable to manufacture a single. Axar Patel smartly gives him no flight to work with, and Atkinson is very, very fortunate when one skids past his slog and just evades leg stump.

Four byes bring up the England hundred...but Atkinson is gone! A heavy-handed heave, eyes taken off the ball, and off come the bails with England’s number eight done like a kipper. Another one perishes having chewed up 13 balls.

England 99-6; Buttler 61, Atkinson 2 (15 overs)

14:46 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The last for Ravi Bishnoi. Gus Atkinson can’t pick him, perhaps unsurprisingly. A single from Jos Buttler is followed by four dots and a single, which India won’t mind at all conceding given it keeps the England skipper off strike.

4-0-22-0 a rather tidy analysis for the wrist spinner.

England 97-6; Buttler 61, Atkinson 1 (14 overs)

14:43 , Harry Latham-Coyle

England do bat deep - Adil Rashid will be in at 10 or 11 and has more first class hundreds than his skipper. Gus Atkinson feels a sensible head for this situation, though can’t beat cover with a sweetly struck drive at the end of a very tidy return to the attack from Axar Patel.

OUT! Overton ct. Kumar Reddy b Patel 2 (England 95-6, 13.3 overs)

14:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Oh dear! England really are in the mire.

Jamie Overton was never likely to enjoy his trial by turn, the Surrey all-rounder more of a seam lumper than middle overs craftsman. A great hoick goes up the chimney and down in the hands of Nitish Kumar Reddy, safely underneath the steepler.

England 94-5; Buttler 59, Overton 2 (13 overs)

14:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle

While Jos Buttler remains, England have hope. The captain continues to look a class apart, picking his moments to steer Ravi Bishnoi through an offside gap twice in the over, first off the front foot and then the back. A leg side nurdle keeps him in possession of the strike.

England 84-5; Buttler 50, Overton 1 (12 overs)

14:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Trouble and strife for England with eight overs still to go. Jamie Overton has been whacking them in the BBL, but these are rather different circumstances against a rather higher calibre of spin.

OUT! Bethell ct. Abhishek Sharma b Pandya (England 83-5, 11.5 overs)

14:34 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Picks out deep square leg! Jacob Bethell throws his head back as a torturous knock reaches its inevitable end.

He just never really looked comfortable today. Put in a spin by Ravi Bishnoi and Varun Chakravarthy, in the end it’s a nothing ball, really, that gets him, Hardik Pandya rolling his fingers over it as he drives a short ball into the surface that Bethell plants down the gullet of Abhishek Sharma.

50 for Jos Buttler! England 81-4; Buttler 50, Bethell 5 (11.1 overs)

14:31 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Back comes Hardik Pandya with a slower ball bouncer that Jos Buttler waits an age for, a tug around the corner enough to raise his bat from 34 balls. A captain’s knock with all around him struggling - but plenty more to do.

England 80-4; Buttler 49, Bethell 5 (11 overs)

14:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle

I did wonder if India might have been regretting not picking an extra seamer when Arshdeep Singh was hooping it around corners earlier, but their spinners are doing the trick through these middle overs, putting the clamps on and rattling through their deliveries to not allow England time to think. It appears Buttler and Bethell are, indeed, in rebuilding mode, working some singles from Ravi Bishnoi’s second set of six.

Buttler is just a couple away from a half century and launches into an attempted sweep as Bishnoi tosses one up, but only succeeds in bottom edging to short fine leg. He’ll nick the strike with a drive to long off.

England 73-4; Buttler 47, Bethell 3 (10 overs)

14:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Boy, that was mighty close. India were certain, but the third umpire relatively quickly reprieved Bethell after reviewing the footage. Might a sterner examination have been wise?

The youngster is struggling here, though. A missed paddle earns him a bye before a reverse sweep goes awry. A single off the last takes him to 3 off 8 balls at drinks.

NOT OUT! England 69-4; Buttler 44, Bethell 2 (9.1 overs)

14:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Is that out? Jacob Bethell is beaten on the outside edge and India are cock-a-hoop as Sanju Samson takes the bails off...but there’s just a smidgen of his boot behind the line.

Not out. But Varun Chakravarthy is causing chaos here.

England 69-4; Buttler 44, Bethell 2 (9 overs)

14:18 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Does Jos Buttler rein things in now and try to rebuild? With the dew to come down later, defending will be tough, and England surely need as many as possible. But there’s not heaps of batting to come - Jamie Overton has come on and on as a T20 hitter but is probably a man you want striding out with a few overs to go rather than at this juncture.

Just four off the first from Bishnoi.

England 65-4; Buttler 42, Bethell 0 (8 overs)

14:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Yowzers. Just as England were building momentum, India rip the innings open again. Jacob Bethell is the new man, fresh off a productive Big Bash stint with the Melbourne Renegades - he was batting up the order at three or four in Australia, but he’s in early down at six here.

Leggie Ravi Bishnoi is the third of India’s spinners into the attack.

OUT! Liam Livingstone b Chakravarthy 0 (England 65-4, 7.5 overs)

14:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Another! Timber!

Two in the over for the mystery man. Liam Livingstone is all at sea, neither forward nor back and bowled through the gate as he tries to drive with hands away from his body. England are in real bother!

OUT! Harry Brook b Chakravarthy 17 (England 65-3, 7.3 overs)

14:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Gone! Just as England were beginning to motor, Varun Chakravarthy snares Harry Brook in his web of mystery.

Brook had elegantly put the spinner away for one boundary in the over but his attempts to delicately dab him again see him come a cropper. It’s a slightly indeterminate shot, and the ball ricochets from bat to pad before the death rattle sounds. A vital breakthrough for India.

England 61-2; Buttler 42, Brook 13 (7 overs)

14:09 , Harry Latham-Coyle

More spin - it’s Axar Patel to fizz some left arm skidders into this Kolkata surface.

Shot! A delightful start from Harry Brook, sashaying down the track and lifting Patel over extra cover for six. Jos Buttler follows his partner’s lead, rocking back and launching over midwicket before caressing to the cover boundary as England start to move through the gears. 15 from it.

England 46-2; Buttler 34, Brook 6 (6 overs)

14:06 , Lawrence Ostlere

Surya turns to Varun Chakaravarthy after Hardik’s expensive last over, and the first bit of spin of the night.

Brook immediately goes after the leg-spinner and gets a little lucky with an inside edge that runs for four, having failed with an attempted sweep the ball before. A brilliant bit of fielding in the deep by Nitish turns a four into a two after Buttler smashes through the final ball of the over.

England 38-2; Buttler 31, Brook 1 (5 overs)

14:02 , Lawrence Ostlere

Another good by from Arshdeep, who Brook struggles to read. India refer the final dot ball of the over for review but replays confirm it was nowhere near Brook’s bat.

England 35-2; Buttler 29, Brook 0 (4 overs)

13:55

Harry Brook is in at No 4 for England.

Buttler is enjoying himself, meanwhile, steering back-to-back fours down to deep square leg, before finishing the over with another boundary crashed through the leg side off the back foot, and another tickled fine off the pads.

A rough over for Hardik Pandya, who goes for 18.

Wicket! Ben Duckett c Singh b Arshdeep Singh 4 (England 17-2, 2.5 overs)

13:48

Ben Duckett plays an outrageous reverse scoop for four, but the very next ball he falls cheaply swiping across the line, and Singh takes a good catch running towards the boundary.

England 12-1; Buttler 11, Duckett 0 (2 overs)

13:42 , Lawrence Ostlere

Buttler slaps England’s first boundary back down the ground off Hardik’s bowling, before a couple of dots. Buttler adds another four with more of a thick edge down to deep back point, and he scambles a single to finish a productive over by the captain.

England 3-1; Buttler 2, Duckett 0 (1 over)

13:37 , Lawrence Ostlere

Jos Buttler gets England on the board with a couple of runs before fishing at a wide one which only narrowly misses his bat. A leg bye adds a third run.

Wicket! Phil Salt c †Samson b Arshdeep Singh 0 (England 0-1, 0.3 overs))

13:34 , Lawrence Ostlere

A fabulous start by Arshdeep Singh, who finds some early swing with his opening two deliveries to perplex Salt, and the third ball brings the first wicket as Salt spoons it high over his own head for an easy catch by keeper Samson.

India v England

13:29 , Lawrence Ostlere

Here we go then, the players are out on the field for the anthems, and it’s almost time. India will bowl and England’s Phil Salt will face the first ball.

India v England – confirmed line-ups

13:25

India: 1 Abhishek, 2 Samson (wk), 3 Tilak, 4 Surya (capt), 5 Hardik, 6 Nitish, 7 Rinku, 8 Axar, 9 Bishnoi, 10 Varun, Arshdeep.

England: 1 Duckett, 2 Salt (wk), 3 Buttler (capt), 4 Brook, 5 Livingstone, 6 Bethell, 7 Overton, 8 Atkinson, 9 Archer, 10 Rashid, 11 Wood.

England captain Jos Buttler speaks

13:23 , Lawrence Ostlere

“We’d have down the same [bowl], looks a good wicket with a little bit of dew around.”

On Eden Gardens: ‘It’s one of the great grounds in world cricket, it’s always an honour to come over and play against India. A lot of our guys have been playing some franchise cricket around the world so it’s nice to come together. Both teams will be aggressive and hopefully play some entertaining cricket.”

India win toss and will bowl first

13:20 , Lawrence Ostlere

Suryakumar Yadav wins the toss in the middle, and elects to bowl.

“The wicket looks a little sticky. We’ve practiced two times in the night and there’ll be some heavy dew later on in the night.”

Talking points: Deputy Harry

13:12 , Lawrence Ostlere

With Moeen Ali retiring from international duty after last year's T20 World Cup, England have belatedly alighted on Harry Brook as Buttler's vice-captain. The Yorkshireman stood in for Buttler during a 3-2 ODI series defeat to Australia at the back end of last summer. And, according to Buttler, Brook "was as positive a captain as I've ever seen". With Buttler and McCullum signalling their intentions to be as aggressive as possible, Brook seems the ideal choice as lieutenant.

Talking points: Bethell on the up

13:05 , Lawrence Ostlere

Jacob Bethell has enjoyed a stunning start to his international career, impressing on the white-ball tour of the Caribbean in November when England were missing several regulars then registering three Test fifties in New Zealand before Christmas. The 21-year-old might already be an England regular in all three formats. An eight-match tour of India represents another stern examination as he will have attention thrust on him, the like of which he has never experienced. England captain Jos Buttler thinks he is up for the challenge, saying: "He has a good head on his shoulders and has the game for it."

Talking points: pace, pace, pace

12:57 , Lawrence Ostlere

England have discarded their medium-fast bowlers and brought along half a dozen out-and-out quicks, with Mark Wood and Jofra Archer the headline acts. Wood will make his return at Eden Gardens having been sidelined since August with an elbow injury and Archer continues his carefully-managed comeback. Brydon Carse, Jamie Overton, Saqib Mahmood and Gus Atkinson are also all capable of bowling in the high 80-mph range, and McCullum has backed them to send down "absolute rockets" and "blow teams away".

India up in arms

12:54 , Lawrence Ostlere

Whisper it but, from afar, it seems all is not well in the India camp. A new decree from the Board of Control for Cricket in India aims to clamp down on the time players spend with their families on tour. The decision was made hot on the heels of India losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia for the first time in a decade, having been beaten 3-1 Down Under. The world T20 champions are not at full strength for this series with Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant absent while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have retired from T20s. But Mohammed Shami is set to return at some point during this series after more than a year out injured.

Talking points: Bazball expands to white ball

12:47 , Lawrence Ostlere

Under the McCullum-Ben Stokes axis, England have won 22 of 35 Tests having triumphed just once in their previous 17. Pivotal to the transformation has been a more relaxed environment, with McCullum emboldening his players to push the envelop largely free from fear of consequences. He has been brought on board for England's white-ball sides after they relinquished both World Cup crowns in the last 18 months. And the early signs are the former New Zealand captain will bring the same style to the T20 and ODI teams as he is "desperate for us to play a really watchable brand of cricket".

India v England – talking points

12:45 , Lawrence Ostlere

Here are some of the key talking points ahead of this tour, which also comprises three ODIs after the five T20 games as a warm-up for next month's Champions Trophy in Pakistan...

England Lions dominate Austalia in Brisbane

12:37

Meanwhile down under, Derbyshire seamer Pat Brown took a hat-trick as England Lions enjoyed a dominant first day against a Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane.

Brown, who won four T20 caps for his country in 2019, banked outstanding figures of five for 21 in his eight overs as the hosts were dismissed for 214.

Brown had already removed Nivethan Radhakrishnan when he took three in three - Henry Hunt edging to slip, Jack Clayton bowled offering no stroke and Hugo Burdon nicking through to wicketkeeper James Rew.

The 26-year-old, whose career progress was stalled by a series of injuries, then completed his five-for with the wicket of top-scorer Ryan Hicks for 64.

Sam Cook took two to continue his impressive trip, with England's Test spinner Shoaib Bashir chipping in one for 62.

Elsewhere, there was an encouraging return to action for Josh Tongue, who has been out for 18 months with pectoral and hamstring problems. He bowled nine wicketless overs but is ahead of schedule, having targeted the unofficial Test against Australia A at the end of the month for his comeback.

The Lions finished the day on 53 for one, Durham's Ben McKinney making a lively 32 before departing, with Bashir joining opener Alex Davies as a nightwatcher.

Team news

12:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle

England named their XI on match eve, with captain Jos Buttler again relinquishing the gloves and sliding down to number three. Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton join Mark Wood and Jofra Archer in a pace-packed seam attack with Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell supporting Adil Rashid as spin options.

Team news

12:10 , Chris Wilson

In the absence of a number of their Test stars, India will be led by Suryakumar Yadav. They are boosted by the return of Mohammed Shami, who has looked quick while building up his fitness domestically, while vice-captain Axar Patel has hinted that the batting order will be flexible with significant versatility in the squad.

Is India vs England on TV?

12:05 , Chris Wilson

When is India vs England?

The first T20I between India and England is due to begin at 1.30pm GMT on Wednesday 22 January at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the action live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage on the channel from 1pm GMT. Subscribers can stream via discovery+.

11:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle

England embark on a new era in white ball cricket as Brendon McCullum takes the reins at the start of the T20 series against India

Already coach of England’s Test team, McCullum has assumed duties in the shorter format and will hope to form a winning partnership with captain Jos Buttler, who retained his role despite a difficult World T20 last year.

They take on the reigning champions in this format as the two sides begin their preparations in earnest for the Champions Trophy, which begins in a month’s time.

The 50-over event, returning to the calendar for the first time since 2017, will be hosted in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, after India refused to travel to their neighbours for the tournament.

India vs England LIVE

11:24 , Chris Wilson

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of today’s T20 match between England and India.

England face the world champions in Kolkata in the first of the five-match series, in what marks Brendon McCullum’s first match in charge of the white-ball side.

We’ll have all the latest build-up and updates here.