I’ve been genuinely surprised by the way India have approached and played in these T20  internationals against England. Going into the series, I expected a different kind of  performance, and a few of the decisions that were made along the way have caught me off  guard. 

One of the biggest surprises for me was that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi didn’t open the batting  right from the beginning against Ireland. I completely understand the loyalty aspect of  team selection. Loyalty is an important quality, and I actually applaud that approach in  many ways because backing players who have performed for you is often the right thing to  do. However, there are times when talent, recent performances, and sheer ability have to  take precedence. 

For me, Sooryavanshi had done enough to earn that opportunity. His performances in the  IPL, combined with the quality and class he possesses as a batter, outweighed the  argument for sticking with the existing combination. Sometimes, regardless of loyalty, you  simply have to go with the player who deserves to play based on what he has shown. 

I don’t mean that as any disrespect to Sanju Samson. Quite the opposite, in fact. Sanju  ended up being Player of the Tournament in the last T20 World Cup, which makes it an  incredibly difficult selection call. That’s what makes these decisions so challenging. My  point isn’t that Sanju didn’t deserve his place. Rather, I just felt that the Ireland series  presented the ideal opportunity to bring Sooryavanshi into the side and allow him to open  the innings. 

Looking beyond that one selection, I’ve also been a little surprised by the way India  managed their team over the course of those games and the way they handled the start of  this series. There were a few decisions that made me pause, and while it’s always easier to  look back with hindsight, those were thoughts I had while watching things unfold. 

Again, without going over old ground too much, I was also surprised that Suryakumar  Yadav didn’t make it to the team. It’s one of those conversations that can be easy to revisit  after the fact, but it was something that stood out to me at the time as well. 

That said, Shreyas Iyer, the new captain, has work to do in this series. There’s no doubt  about that. He’s a terrific player and an excellent captain, and I have every confidence that  he’ll come through this period. Players of his quality tend to respond when challenged, and  I believe he’ll find a way to do that.

I’m equally confident that India themselves will play a whole lot better in the remaining two  matches than they have in the first three games of the series. Despite that belief, it’s also  fair to say that there is work to be done.  

One of the most noticeable aspects has been England’s pace bowling. Their fast bowlers  have managed to find a method that simply didn’t work for them when they played in India.  Perhaps that’s down to the conditions, and conditions can make a significant difference in  T20 cricket. 

It’s worth remembering England’s tour of India at the beginning of last year, around January  and February, when they went with that pace-heavy attack. During that series, India’s top  order, featuring Abhishek Sharma, and Tilak Varma, completely dominated England’s fast  bowlers. 

Although Sanju struggled a little bit during that period, the top order as a whole absolutely  smashed England’s pace attack to all parts of the ground. England’s quick bowlers simply  couldn’t contain them. 

This series, however, hasn’t quite worked out in the same way. England’s pace attack has  been much more effective, and that’s been one of the biggest differences between the two  contests. 

Josh Tongue, in particular, has been an excellent addition to England’s T20 side. I think he’s  an outstanding bowler overall, regardless of the format, and I’ve actually been surprised  that it’s taken this long for him to be introduced into the T20 setup. 

Perhaps that’s been a workload management issue. Maybe England have simply been  trying to look after him carefully and ensure they don’t overuse him. Whatever the reason  may be, his inclusion has certainly paid off immediately. 

He made an instant impact, and alongside Jofra Archer, he gave England exactly what they  wanted at the top of the innings. Together, they created pressure early and played a major  role in England’s strong performances. 

From England’s perspective, it’s been eye-catching cricket to watch. They’ve played with  confidence and clarity, and a number of individuals have stepped up. 

I’m also really pleased that Harry Brook has taken on the responsibility of batting at  number three. That’s an important role in the batting order, and it’s encouraging to see him  embrace that responsibility.

England’s batting lineup looks incredibly strong. Jacob Bethell is a class act, while Jos  Buttler and Phil Salt provide a formidable opening combination. When you look at those  names together, it’s easy to see why England have been so effective. 

Their strength isn’t limited to the top order either. England also have spin bowlers who are  capable of contributing with the bat, giving them additional depth and flexibility within the  side. 

All of that combines to make England a very strong T20 team and a difficult proposition for  India. Their balance across batting and bowling has stood out during this series, and  they’ve played some excellent cricket. 

Even with that in mind, though, I still think India will put up a better fight than they have  managed in the opening games. I expected the contests to be more competitive from  India’s perspective. 

Of course, one of the matches was washed out, so that has to be taken into account when  assessing the series as a whole. Even so, based on what we’ve seen, I believe India have  another level that they can reach. 

The next match is in Bristol, and generally speaking, the pitches there tend to be a little  slower. Those conditions could work in India’s favour. 

A slower surface may allow India to make better use of their spin options. It could also help  their bowlers by allowing them to take pace off the ball more effectively, something that  can be particularly valuable in T20 cricket. 

Because of those conditions, India may find that the next game suits their strengths better  than the earlier matches have. If that’s the case, then the conditions could favour them a  little more, giving them a better opportunity to respond strongly and produce the kind of  performance that many expected from them at the start of the series.