Match facts
January 29, 2017
Start time 1900 local (1330 GMT)
Big picture
England took the weak link that cost them the Test and ODI series and used it effectively to turn things around for a comprehensive win in the first T20. It was their bowling that could not win them a Test in the five-match series, it could not keep the pressure on in the middle and end overs in the 2-1 ODI series loss, but all that turned around in the first T20 to set up a comprehensive seven-wicket win in Kanpur.
With Tymal Mills and Chris Jordan, England displayed a fresh look and attitude on the tour, it looked like they were not carrying any baggage from the two series losses, and "were playing more freely," Virat Kohli said in Kanpur. They already have their batting line-up retained from the ODIs, and Sam Billings' destructive form at the top augurs well for a 2-0 lead in Nagpur. All those put together are dangerous signs for India who could neither score freely nor contain the England batsmen on Thursday.
India's main problem was back to where it has been very often - the end overs - although more with the batsmen this time. A lack of partnerships hurt them, and England's clever and accurate bowling saw India struggle to collect boundaries. India's fast bowlers weren't effective either, and lacked the one-on-one plans that England's bowlers seemed to have for India's batsmen.
Form guide
(completed matches, most recent first)
India LLWWL
England WLWLW
In the spotlight
India's opening stands in the limited-overs matches of the tour have read 34, 13, 14 and 13. The partnership of 34 in Kanpur was dominated by Kohli, which means increased pressure on KL Rahul, who totalled 24 runs in the ODI series. Rahul will be itching to get some more runs under his belt before the Champions Trophy.
England's death-overs specialist Chris Jordan came into the T20 XI with a fine performance despite playing his first match of the tour. India will have to come up with solid plans to score off him at the end of the innings given his accuracy of the wide yorkers and variations in pace.
Team news
India may bring in a new opener to solve their woes at the top, but are more likely to change the bowling attack to contain the England batsmen. Amit Mishra will be more useful on the big ground in Nagpur compared to Kanpur, which could mean two legspinners in the XI given Yuzvendra Chahal's 2 for 27 in the first T20. Bhuvneshwar Kumar may also get a look in with his form in the ODI series.
India (probable): 1 Virat Kohli (capt), 2 KL Rahul/Rishabh Pant, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5, MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Manish Pandey, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Parvez Rasool/Amit Mishra, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 & 11 Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Ashish Nehra/Jasprit Bumrah
England have no reason to change the winning XI that earned them the "complete performance", according to Eoin Morgan. Adil Rashid will probably get some overs, if not all four, especially if India's batsmen come back harder.
England (probable): 1 Sam Billings, 2 Jason Roy, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Jordan, 9 Liam Plunkett, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Tymal Mills
Pitch and conditions
It's a much bigger ground but the pitch is likely to be flat which means there will be something for both batsmen and bowlers. Sunday, like the last few days, is expected to see temperatures in late twenties when the match begins.
Stats and trivia
Amit Mishra is one wicket short of reaching the landmark of 200 T20 wickets
India have played two T20I games at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur and lost both while chasing. They lost to Sri Lanka in 2009 by 29 runs and to New Zealand in the 2016 World T20 by 47 runs.
The VCA Stadium has hosted 10 T20I matches so far. Seven of those have been won by teams batting first and three while chasing.
Quotes
"He tries to lead from the front in his body language and the way he plays his cricket. We try to follow suit."
Chris Jordan had some words of praise for his captain Eoin Morgan.
"My aim is to bowl stump-to-stump. It will be based on situation and the wicket when I come to bowl, which side of the ground is bigger."
Yuzvendra Chahal spills some of his plans for Sunday.
