Former India captain and Telangana Minister Mohammad Azharuddin has urged the Indian cricket team to quickly adapt to English conditions after suffering a third consecutive defeat in the ongoing T20I series against England. Speaking to ANI, Azharuddin emphasized that international cricket in England demands a different approach compared to franchise cricket like the IPL.
"England is totally different. It's not like playing in the IPL. The quicker the Indian team realises that, the better. In the IPL, when you play, you try to hit almost every ball out of the park. But here, it doesn't happen because the ball swings, the conditions are different, and there is bounce in the wicket," Azharuddin told ANI.
Series Defeat and Performance Concerns
India's latest defeat came in the fourth T20I at Bristol, where England secured a comprehensive nine-wicket victory, taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. The first match had ended in a no-result. Earlier, India lost the second T20I by four wickets and suffered a humiliating 125-run defeat in the third match, where they were bowled out for just 76 while chasing 202.
Azharuddin expressed concern over the team's performance, noting that this follows a 2-0 series loss to Ireland earlier this year—India's first-ever bilateral T20I series defeat against the Irish. "Two losses against Ireland and then three losses on the trot. It doesn't augur well for the Indian team. I hope they learn very quickly and at least show some pride in the next game," he added.
Captaincy Change and Team Adaptation
The series losses have occurred since the BCCI replaced World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav with Shreyas Iyer as the team's T20I skipper. Despite Iyer's unbeaten 80 off 49 balls in Bristol lifting India to 158/7, England chased the target comfortably in just 13.5 overs, powered by captain Harry Brook's 79 off 35 deliveries and Phil Salt's 59 off 42. This result secured England's first-ever bilateral T20I series victory over India in a series comprising two or more matches.
"The England bowlers have really figured out how to bowl to each batsman. We have to work really hard. It's not a very good performance, but I'm sure they will learn," Azharuddin said.
Looking Ahead
India will now look to salvage some pride in the final T20I on Saturday before shifting focus to the ODI series against England. The team, which entered the year as defending ICC Men's T20 World Cup champions after a 96-run victory over New Zealand in the final, has faced a challenging tour. Azharuddin's comments underscore the need for the team to adapt quickly to English conditions and show character in the remaining matches.
