Published: July 5, 2026 at 4:46 pm
The much-awaited international debut of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi happed but it was England who took a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series, winning the second T20I by four wickets against India in Manchester, thanks to Jacob Bethell’s unbeaten 76.
https://x.com/CricCrazyJohns/status/2073404629430219055?s=20
Speaking on JioHotstar’s Match Centre Live, former India players Parthiv Patel and Deep Dasgupta reflected on India’s defeat, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s debut, and the balance of India’s bowling attack.
Bishnoi’s over turned the game: Parthiv
“Batters take one delivery to get out, and bowlers have five more deliveries to come back after a six. So, you look at that 17th over from Ravi Bishnoi and the transformation in Jacob Bethell’s innings, the switch in his batting intent happened because of the freedom he got from the no-ball, to go after the ball without worrying about losing your wicket. Before that over, Bethell was struggling at 37 off 33 balls. He was finding it hard to accelerate. But those two no-balls changed everything. They released the pressure and gave him the license to attack. This is something Ravi Bishnoi will want to work on. Getting hit for runs is part of the game. But when a no-ball gives the batter a free hit, it becomes easier to play without accountability because you don’t get out, you only get the runs. That over turned the match in England’s favour,” explained Parthiv Patel.
Ravi Bishnoi’s over turned the match in England’s favour, says Parthiv Patel. Pics: BCCI
On India’s decision of not bowling Shivam Dube, the wicketkeeper said: “The situation of the game matters. You try and use your sixth bowler, Shivam Dube, to get through a couple of overs. But when the game demands wickets, that is when you go back to your main bowlers. I thought Shreyas Iyer rotated his bowlers well. Yes, the execution wasn’t perfect, but the bowling choices were fine according to me for this game. However, the combination is something India will need to think about. I thought 190 was a par score on this pitch. But when you are playing in England, with bigger boundaries, the slower deliveries and bouncers come into play. So maybe an extra seamer could help India in the next game.”
Sooryavanshi will get an opportunity at some point in this England series, says Parthiv
On Sooryavanshi’s international debut, Parthiv said: “The whole cricketing world was waiting for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s debut. He got his chance here in Manchester against England at the age of 15, becoming the youngest player ever to debut for India, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record. This is a huge moment. As a player, you dream of representing your country. And when it happens, it is a surreal feeling.
The sky is the limit for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He is going to score a lot of runs and win a lot of hearts, says Parthiv Patel
“Talking about his knock, he played some good shots and missed a few too, but that’s fine. I’m not worried about the 14 runs he managed to score. We all saw that flick shot off Jofra Archer, we know what he is capable of. The sky is the limit for him. He is going to score a lot of runs and win a lot of hearts. It’s rare to see a player carry so much expectations, but Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has done exactly that,” he added.
Concern for India is their bowling combination: Dasgupta
Deep Dasgupta questioned India’s balance in the bowling department. “The main concern for India has been their bowling combination. When you go in with only two seamers plus Shivam Dube, and if one of them has an off day, you are left with very few options. You don’t have a like-for-like replacement in the middle overs, and the opposition can target the weaker links. I think this is something the team needs to look at. They should consider going with three seamers instead of two plus Shivam Dube,” Dasgupta said.
https://x.com/BCCI/status/2073447021034578060?s=20
“The other couple of questions the team needs to answer is whether they really need three spinners and whether they can afford to play an extra seamer. That might mean they have to sacrifice a bit of batting depth. But in conditions where pace and bounce matter more, that could be a risk worth taking. So yes, some tough decisions need to be made,” he said.
