India’s unbeaten aura in T20Is has suddenly begun to crack. Just months after lifting the T20 World Cup and completing an entire World Cup cycle without losing a bilateral series, India have stumbled into an unfamiliar position. Shreyas Iyer’s side has now won just one of its last four T20Is, losing the two-match series in Ireland before slipping to a four-wicket defeat against England in Manchester on Saturday, July 4.
While the first T20I against England was washed out, Jacob Bethell’s sensational unbeaten 76 helped the hosts chase down 191 with six balls to spare in the second match, handing India another setback in what is turning into an early wobble for the new-look side.
Despite the results, vice-captain Ishan Kishan insisted there was no reason for panic, saying the team remained confident about the direction it was heading.
“We have been playing good cricket. We have room for improvement. It is important for us to realise how we can improve from these games. Winning or not winning makes a big difference in your mindset as well. All of us are mature here, and we can figure out how we can get better,” Kishan said after the match.
BATTING FIRST, BUT NOT ENOUGH RUNS
India’s batting has been one of the biggest talking points during Sunday’s game.
After struggling through the Ireland series, the batting unit showed greater intent in Manchester, posting 190. But even that proved insufficient as England chased the target with an over to spare.
Kishan admitted India had left runs on the table.
“There is a lot of analysis that goes into the team. I think here it was better to bat first. We would have had everything in control if we had 20 more runs,” he said.
The left-hander felt the game was largely under India’s control before England capitalised on a few costly errors from the bowlers.
“I think we will keep things simple next time. The best thing can be to be together at this time and understand what has gone wrong and how to get better. And that’s how you get better, by being together,” he added.
DISCIPLINE WITH THE BALL
Although India reached a decent total, the bowlers failed to defend the score.
Bethell punished anything loose, while Harry Brook ensured England never allowed the required rate to climb beyond reach. Kishan suggested that a handful of poor deliveries eventually proved decisive, despite India controlling large phases of the contest.
The defeat also highlighted a growing concern for a side that had built its recent success around disciplined bowling and relentless pressure through the middle overs.
LOSSES TEST INDIA’S CONFIDENCE
Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the team is mental rather than technical.
India had become accustomed to winning over the last two years, dominating bilateral cricket before lifting another T20 World Cup. Three defeats in four completed T20Is represent unfamiliar territory for a squad that has rarely had to respond to setbacks in recent times.
Kishan acknowledged that losing consistently can affect confidence but backed the dressing room to stick together rather than overreact.
“Winning or not winning makes a big difference in your mindset,” he said, while stressing that the team would analyse its mistakes collectively and improve as a group.
PROTECTING VAIBHAV SOORYAVANSHI
Amid the disappointing result, India also marked the beginning of a new chapter by handing 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi his international debut.
The teenage opener, who earned his call-up after a remarkable IPL season and a record-breaking India A campaign, scored 14 off 10 balls in Manchester.
Kishan said the dressing room was focused on ensuring that the youngest player in India’s T20I history settled into international cricket without feeling overwhelmed.
“He has been doing so well for the past two years. He has broken into the side at a time when the team was doing well. When you realise how talented he is and the X factor that he brings, you try and take care of him,” Kishan said.
“I feel all the senior players try to take care of him, that he does not go into a different mindset. What he has been doing for the last two years is very difficult for any batter. But he has achieved that greatness.”
“So we will just try and be there with him, share with him our experiences, answer his questions, and tell him in what ways we can help him.”
For India, the defeat in Manchester may sting, but the bigger challenge now is ensuring that a brief slump does not snowball into a prolonged loss of confidence. With three more T20Is left in the England series, Iyer’s side has an immediate opportunity to rediscover the rhythm that made it one of the most dominant white-ball teams in world cricket over the last two years.
– Ends
