Mumbai : Four months ago, India celebrated a second consecutive T20 World Cup victory under Suryakumar Yadav, built on an aggressive yet calculated brand of cricket. Now, they are in unfamiliar territory. The 125-run thrashing in Nottingham – India’s biggest loss by runs in T20 Internationals – was more than just a defeat. Chasing 202, they were bowled out for 76 in 11.4 overs, slumping to a fourth successive defeat after a shocking 0-2 series loss in Ireland. Captain Shreyas Iyer called the batting display “appalling and unacceptable”.Head coach Gautam Gambhir called this round a “reset” after the personnel changes. Iyer replaced Surya as captain, while key figures like Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah were absent. But displacement alone cannot explain the scale of the decline. India’s inability to adapt to circumstances abroad has become an equally worrying trend. TOI: looking at the reasons behind the slide.
Captain under review
Iyer’s tenure was off to a rocky start. His batting returns – 3, 10, 68, 37 and 5 – were inconsistent, while tactical decisions raised questions. The promotion of Axar Patel and Harshit Rana ahead of Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube in the third T20I suggests a side looking for answers rather than sticking to a plan.
IPL hangover?
India’s batting appears to have been conditioned by IPL cricket, where flat pitches reward relentless aggression. In England and Ireland, where seam movement required patience, they continued with high-risk stroke play, leading to repeated collapses. Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan showed promise but struggled for consistency.
The Samson-Sooryavanshi dilemma
Dropping Sanju Samson after scores of 5, 0 and 1 in favor of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was also analysed. The teenager’s scores of 14 and 13 underscored the challenge of exposing him to tough overseas conditions early in his career.
Unwanted numbers:
Implementation concerns:
Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi’s expensive spell at Old Trafford, where he conceded 60 runs and bowled three back-foot no-balls, reflected India’s wider struggles.By now, coach Gambhir’s desire for transition is understandable. But a successful reset requires explanation.At the moment, India is torn between two identities – trying to replicate the fearless cricket of their World Cup-winning side without the experience that made it work.