ENG VS IND, 2nd T20I: 3 Unnoticed things from the match
After coasting to an easy win in the tour opener, India was up against a determined English side who were eager to turn the tables after the spin debacle in the first game at Old Trafford.
On a certain slow pitch, England won the toss and invited the hosts to put runs on the board. It was a remarkable start for the hosts as they wreaked havoc in that batting order to send their top three packing within the first six overs.
However, skipper Kohli along with Suresh Raina got the innings back on track before Raina was stumped in his attempt to go for the biggie. At the back end of the innings, it was Dhoni’s late surge that propelled India to 148, a total which was just par at that sort of surface.
Chasing a modest 149 to level the series, England saw the attack from the first ball with 14 from the first over. However, India pulled back things with quick wickets in the powerplay to prevent the hosts from going anything big in the first six overs.
But Morgan and Hales maintained a decent flow of the runs to see their side in the driver seat. In the end, the target proved to be an easy cake walk as England cruised to victory to take the series in the decider.
Here’s a look at some of the things that went unnoticed:
#1 England bowlers opting for shorter lengths
After a disappointing show in the first match, England looked a much better side with their plans against a batting heavy Indian team.
The bowlers were looked more confident in their skills and brought in better execution to support their cause. On shorter straight boundaries at Sophia Gardens, seamers were reluctant to pitch the ball full in the batsmen’s arc.
They opted for shorter lengths to make efficient use of the larger square boundaries and were instrumental in not only containing the flow of runs but even managed success against the likes of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan.
Rohit fell to a rising ball in his attempt to pull it over backward square leg but could only manage a top edge to be caught inside the 30-yard circle.
The ploy to bowl short even worked in the death overs as Kohli became the latest victim as he went for a pull but could barely manage a hit it straight on the throat of the fielder at fine leg.