Watch: Nitish Reddy takes stunning catch to end Jos Buttler’s 68-run knock

India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy took a stunning diving catch in the deep to dismiss England captain Jos Buttler in the first T20I of the five-match series at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday. Varun Chakravarthy got his revenge against Buttler after being hit for a six on the previous delivery.

Chakravarthy bowled a short delivery angled into the batter’s body. Jos Buttler then attempted to pull the ball but ended up miscuing it over square leg. Reddy ran in from the deep and took a brilliant low catch with both hands, diving forward. The on-field umpires checked the replays and confirmed the catch was clean. India’s bowlers then came up with a clinical performance to dismiss England for a paltry 132.

India vs England, 1st T20I Updates

India spinner Varun Chakravarthy was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets. Varun received good support from Arshdeep Singh (2/17), vice-captain Axar Patel (2/22), and Hardik Pandya (2/42). Captain Suryakumar Yadav’s decision to bowl first paid off as India showcased an exceptional bowling display, effectively utilising the spin-friendly conditions.

India’s decision to leave out a fit-again Mohammed Shami and picked a spin-heavy attack. The spin trio of Chakravarthy, Axar, and Ravi Bishnoi (0/23) justified the decision to take 5 wickets for 67 runs across their 12 overs, despite the dewy conditions at Eden Gardens.

Arshdeep set the tone early with a fiery opening spell, dismissing both openers—Phil Salt (0) and Ben Duckett (4)—in successive overs. Arshdeep went past Yuzvendra Chahal’s tally to become India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is with 97 wickets. On a pitch where the average first-innings T20I score is 198, England’s total of 132 was far below par.

Suryakumar was brilliant with his bowling changes, with Indian bowlers running through England’s power-packed batting line-up. The pitch offered some grip, and the dew had minimal impact. It was a one-man show for England as Buttler played a composed knock of 68 off 44 balls while wickets kept tumbling at the other end. Buttler kept England afloat amidst the chaos but received little support from his teammates.