NEW DELHI: Congress MP and noted cricket enthusiast Shashi Tharoor delivered a scathing verdict on India’s latest T20I collapse after England sealed an emphatic 3-0 series win, saying he had been left “speechless” by another humiliating defeat.India’s nine-wicket defeat in the fourth T20I at Bristol gave England an undisputed five-match series lead, extending a disappointing run abroad for the reigning T20 world champions.Reacting shortly after the match, Tharoor took the X and summed up the Indian fans’ mood with a sharply worded post.“I am truly speechless. Dumbfounded. Devastated. It’s a shame so much. There is literally nothing to say,” she wrote.His comments came after India failed to defend a modest total of 158/7, with England chasing it down in just 13.5 overs thanks to an unbeaten 146-run partnership between captain Harry Brook (79 not out) and Phil Salt (59 not out).
Shreyas Iyer. ‘Happy with my performance, but…’
India captain Shreyas Iyer admitted his side were second best in every department despite producing a fighting unbeaten 80 off 49 balls after the visitors suffered another batting collapse.“Again, this is disappointing. Certainly, 158 is not the perfect total on the board,” said Iyer.He felt that the Indian bowlers failed to execute their plans after England took advantage of the loose deliveries.“I think we fell off a little bit in our execution. When we changed the pace, when we tried something else, they scored on loose balls,” he said.Reflecting on his own innings, Iyer said the individual milestones provided little consolation in the loss.“Definitely happy with my performance, but if it’s not in the win, it goes to the side. Whenever I play, I want to perform and see my team win,” he said.The captain also urged patience in a young squad, describing the current phase as part of India’s rebuilding process.“This is the transition period and we will make many mistakes. Many youngsters are playing in these conditions for the first time. It is important that you learn quickly from your mistakes,” he added.
Coach admits India is ‘underachieving’ abroad
Assistant coach: Ryan ten Doeschate Offered an equally honest assessment, saying that India must face the reality that they are struggling so much outside the home conditions.“We have to accept the fact that we are short of meeting the conditions of the foreigner,” he said.The former Netherlands international stressed that the challenge is not only technical but mental, urging the players to adapt more quickly to pitches abroad instead of relying on methods that work in India.“What works in India doesn’t necessarily work here. We just haven’t been able to shift from that mindset,” he said.India will now look to avoid a 4-0 scoreline when they take on England in the fifth and final T20I in Southampton on Saturday, hoping to salvage some pride after a series that drew criticism from fans, pundits and politicians alike.