Danni Wyatt returns to England fold for India T20I series

Wyatt replaces Lauren Winfield-Hill, who opened the batting in the Test and ODI series against the same opposition, while Mady Villiers returns at the expense of Kate Cross

England have named their squad for the T20I series against India, with Danni Wyatt included for the first time this summer.

She replaces Lauren Winfield-Hill, who opened the batting in the Test and ODI series against the same opposition, while Mady Villiers returns at the expense of Kate Cross, who has enjoyed a fine start to the season but has not played a T20I since December 2019.

Winfield-Hill was the only specialist batter in the top five not to reach fifty in any the first two sections of the multiformat series against India, even if she looked in fine touch throughout.

Wyatt, meanwhile, has struggled for runs at international level for the last 18 months, but she remains the only English cricketer – male or female – with two T20I centuries to her name.

In the meantime, both Winfield-Hill and Cross will return to their regional teams and will be available for selection in the Charlotte Edwards Cup.

Winfield-Hill misses chance to stake T20I claim as fast starts fizzle out without match-winning contribution

“We've played some good cricket across both the Test and the ODIs and we've named a strong squad for the IT20 series,” said England head coach Lisa Keightley. “It’s 6-4 in the multi-format series and it's a series we're pushing hard to win.

We probably weren't quite at our best in the third ODI so I'd like us to hit the ground running in the first IT20 and be ruthless.”

England’s failure to close out a tight third ODI at Bristol last Saturday means that India are right back in the series mix, with two points on offer per win in the white-ball games. As finalists in last year’s T20 World Cup, the tourists will fancy their chances: a 2-1 victory in the three-game T20I leg of the tour would hand India a share of the series spoils.

The first T20I will take place on Friday at Northampton, followed by fixtures at Hove and Chelmsford.

England squad: Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Freya Davies, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Fran Wilson, Danni Wyatt

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