Wankhede surface, England’s bowlers control India’s batters: Title=”Batters indecisive, England bowlers adaptable”
In the pitch report, the broadcasters expected a “belter”, with a batting-friendly Wankhede surface and shorter boundaries. However, England’s bowlers displayed great control and adaptability that negated these expectations. India’s batters faced difficulties due to indecision despite minimal pitch turn. Players from both sides noted the ball skidding, yet England’s bowlers effectively varied their pace and lengths. For Charlie Dean, this led to “no real demons” in the pitch, while Deepti Sharma found it “tricky”.
Off-spinner Charlie Dean opened bowling against Smriti Mandhana after recovering from a stomach bug, quickly putting India in trouble with just eight deliveries. Shafali Verma departed with a duck after misjudging a delivery, making it her 20th dismissal by an off-spinner in 43 T20Is. Heather Knight’s strategy of bowling Dean to the left-handed Mandhana worked, leading to another wicket.
Harmanpreet Kaur, injecting positivity with back-to-back boundaries, fell victim to a pinpoint delivery by Nat Sciver-Brunt. The rest of India’s batting line-up struggled to face England’s strong bowling lineup, succumbing to pressure. India concluded with a mere 80 runs, their lowest T20I score against England, largely due to the inability to handle spinners.
Despite the loss, Deepti Sharma doesn’t consider the pitch “difficult”, believing India could have scored better. She emphasized the need to play to the merit of the ball and work on their performance against spinners. India has lost 10 wickets to spinners across two T20Is, highlighting a significant weakness that needs attention.
In contrast, England has exploited India’s weaknesses effectively, especially in anticipation of the next T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, where spinners will play a critical role. This series has demonstrated England’s preparedness and skills in facing spin, providing them a strong foundation for future tournaments.
Article provided by: Sruthi Ravindranath, a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
