India suffered their biggest defeat in T20Is, a crushing 125‑run loss to England in the second match at Trent Bridge. Chasing 202, the visitors collapsed to just 76 all out in 11.4 overs, with only four batters managing double figures. Captain Shreyas Iyer was visibly frustrated, particularly with his bowlers, insisting that the pitch did not warrant a 200‑plus score. India’s chase unravelled almost instantly, losing five wickets inside the powerplay, and from there the game slipped irretrievably out of their grasp.
“It was atrocious. Losing by such a big margin isn’t acceptable,” Shreyas said at the post‑match presentation. “First things first, we have to accept this loss and go back to the drawing board. It wasn’t a 200 wicket. Losing four in the powerplay didn’t create momentum, lost it there. You can plan a lot, once you come into the ground you have to adapt, figure out lengths. Hard lengths helped, we didn’t execute. When you’re chasing, you have to set patterns and our execution was off. Great opportunity to come back strong. We’ve played awful cricket but lots to learn as well. Players have to figure out ways to create impact. Every individual has to work on creating impact and taking responsibility.”
Shreyas Iyer’s winless streak
The defeat also extended Shreyas Iyer’s barren run as captain. Since taking charge, he has led India in five matches, with four losses and one no‑result. England now lead the series 2‑0, with two matches remaining.The next opportunity for redemption comes in the 4th T20I at the County Ground, Bristol, on July 9, where India will be desperate to halt the slide and give their new skipper a first taste of success.
The pressure is now mounting on Shreyas as he has big shoes to fill. The selectors placed their bets on him by sacking Suryakumar Yadav who had led India to their record third T20 World Cup title. Notably, Suryakumar had not lost a series in his leadership.
