England’s series win has underlined one issue, for me, with India: they need to start rethinking the balance of their side.
At the moment, they seem to spend a lot of time trying to create depth and balance through all-rounders. While that philosophy has its advantages, I think they now need to move more towards selecting specialist batters and specialist bowlers. The absence of Hardik Pandya, of course, makes balancing the side much more difficult, but the current combination simply doesn’t look incisive or penetrative enough, particularly with the ball on flat wickets.
Players like Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube certainly have their roles, but India also desperately need Jasprit Bumrah fully fit, as his presence alone changes the complexion of the bowling attack. Beyond that, they need someone like Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, or another genuine mystery spinner—someone capable of changing the course of a game when a stubborn partnership begins to build.
When I look at India’s attack at the moment, it feels a little too predictable. It’s too similar, too orthodox. On batting-friendly pitches, they’re struggling to find ways to break partnerships, and as a result, they repeatedly leave themselves facing daunting run chases.
That was evident again in the series decider. Chasing such a massive total was always going to be difficult, and while the batting effort was admirable, the game had effectively been lost with the ball in hand. The run chase was valiant, but the real damage had already been done earlier in the match.
That’s why I believe India need to revisit their bowling philosophy. They require more specialists, particularly with the ball, rather than continuing to rely so heavily on players who contribute in multiple disciplines.
Interestingly, I think this isn’t an issue exclusive to India. England, too, will eventually have to think about a similar challenge. And their issue stems from the lack of an attacking spinner in the future.
Adil Rashid has been an absolute gem for England over so many years. His ability to take wickets in the middle overs has been invaluable, and once his career comes to an end, or
even when he is no longer operating at his best, England will face a significant void. There probably won’t be a bigger loss for England in recent years than the eventual absence of Rashid’s wicket-taking ability.
That means England also need to begin planning for the future. Whether Rehan Ahmed becomes that player, or whether someone else develops into the next genuine attacking spin option, it’s something the management needs to start thinking seriously about.
For both teams, one thing became particularly obvious throughout this series. On flat pitches, finding ways to break partnerships proved to be one of the biggest challenges.
Is Dube being used correctly by India?
Shivam Dube is an excellent cricketer, but I don’t think batting him at No. 7 or No. 8 allows him to make the impact he is capable of. He is a powerful left-handed ball striker who can change the momentum of an innings, particularly in the middle overs. That’s where he should be given the opportunity to influence games.
Similarly, I don’t think his bowling is being used effectively. Across the series, he generally bowled only two, three or four overs, with one game stretching to six overs. As things stand, I don’t think India are getting the best out of him in either discipline.
Rohit shines, at last
Turning back to India’s batting, it was clearly a significant day for Rohit Sharma. He played beautifully, and there’s every chance that this could potentially have been the last time he played at Lord’s. Nobody can say for certain, but if that does turn out to be the case, it was a fitting way for him to finish his appearances there.
Virat Kohli also looked good, although towards the end of his partnership he wasn’t quite able to find the big shots that India needed. From an Indian perspective, though, there was always that belief because Kohli has built a reputation as one of the greatest run chasers in the game. Once he was dismissed, however, it felt as though the match had slipped away, even though India eventually got relatively close.
Despite the defeat, there were positives for India. The innings from Rohit and Kohli showed that both players still possess the desire, the skill, and the quality to perform at the highest level. That, for me, is one of the biggest positives they can take from the series.
Even so, India will be disappointed to have lost both white-ball series. There is certainly plenty of food for thought, and many of the reasons behind those defeats have already
been discussed. Once again, the series underlined just how influential Jasprit Bumrah is to this side. His absence had a major impact.
England looked a strong side
From England’s perspective, Joe Root once again demonstrated why he remains such a crucial player in this format. He had a terrific series and was consistently influential. Whenever conditions offer even a little assistance, or the pitches become slightly more challenging, Root feels central to England’s success.
Even on flatter wickets, like the one used in the final match, England looked like a very strong side. The left-handed opening combination of Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell gave them an excellent platform.
One tactical adjustment I still believe England could consider concerns Jos Buttler’s batting position. I felt they had an opportunity to try it during the second game of the series, although that match was played on a more difficult pitch.
In that game, promoting Joe Root worked perfectly because he produced an unbeaten 99 and controlled the chase. That decision was entirely understandable.
However, on flatter pitches like the one in the final ODI, if England were to lose one of Duckett or Bethell early, I still think Buttler could move up to No. 3, allowing Root to bat at No. 4.
It’s an option England should continue exploring as they develop their one-day side. The reality is that many of these players don’t play a great deal of 50-over cricket anymore. Because of the crowded international schedule, they play very little domestic one-day cricket as well. As a result, several of them are still learning the format and developing their game at the international level.
Overall, though, this has been an outstanding few weeks for England. They didn’t just beat India in the T20I series—they thoroughly outplayed them. Then, after losing the opening ODI, they responded impressively to come back and win the series.
That’s a huge moment for English cricket. To recover from an early setback and defeat a side as strong as India—even if India weren’t at their very best—will give England enormous confidence moving forward.
