Team India pulled off a hard-fought 3-2 win over England in the five-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series. The triumph over the No.1-ranked visitors augurs well for the Men in Blue ahead of the T20 World Cup to be held in India later this year. Virat Kohli and Co. bounced back after trailing twice in the series to come up trumps. Onmanorama picks five major gains for Team India from the series.
Bhuvi back with a bang
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was simply outstanding on his return to the Indian team after a long injury break. The Uttar Pradesh seamer led the Indian attack in the absence of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. Bhuvi was the most economical bowler on view in the series. The 31-year-old had a miserly economy rate of 6.38.
Bhuvi may have picked up only four wickets, but he got the prized scalp of England opener Jos Buttler in all three games which India won. Bhuvi's 2/15 on a flat track in the decider went a long way in India winning the series. He was rightly named man of the match.
Emergence of Surya and Ishan
Mumbai Indians' stars Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan made a big impression in their debut series. Surya, who had to wait for a long time to break into the Indian team, came up with a breezy knock in the fourth T20I on his first visit to the crease at the international arena. His 31-ball 57 won him the man-of-the-match award.
The 30-year-old followed it up with a 17-ball 32 in the fifth match. Kohli feels Surya is the X-factor for India in the T20 format and has made it clear that the Mumbai batsman will be given more chances at No. 3.
Ishan grabbed the chance by smashing a game-changing fifty on his maiden appearance for India in the second T20I. The left-hander was not afraid to play his shots during his knock which clinched him the man-of-the-match award.
Ishan is only 22 and with more exposure he will only get better. Being a southpaw is an added advantage for the Jharkhand player who can also don the wicketkeeper's role when needed.
Pandya makes his presence felt
India badly missed Hardik Pandya's bowling in the white-ball leg of the Australian tour. The Baroda star pulled his weight even when he played as a specialist batsman Down Under. However, India look a much more balanced side when Pandya bowls.
The 27-year-old returned impressive figures of 2/16 from his four overs as India won the fourth T20I by eight runs to force a decider.
Pandya had a field day in the final game. His 17-ball unbeaten 39 and 1/34 from his full quota made life easier for Kohli.
Thakur's golden arm
Shardul Thakur continues to punch above his weight. The Mumbai medium-pacer makes the most of the opportunities that come his way. After his exploits against Australia in the Brisbane Test, the canny operator used the variations to keep the English batsmen guessing.
He may have been expensive, but Thakur was the top wicket-taker for India with eight scalps. He dismissed a well-set Ben Stokes and the dangerous Eoin Morgan off successive balls to turn the fourth T20I on its head. He then held his nerve in the final over as India squared the series.
Thakur deceived Dawid Malan with a slower one when the left-hander was looking in ominous form in the fifth T20I as England lost the plot in their chase of 225.
Kohli as opener
The Indian think tank played it smart by playing an extra seamer in T Natarajan in place of an out-of-form K L Rahul in the decider taking into account the dew factor. This meant Kohli partnered Rohit Sharma at the top of the order. The two dynamic batsmen set the base by plundering 94 runs from the first nine overs.
Kohli was happy to play second fiddle to Rohit who was on the rampage. The Indian skipper upped the ante in the final overs as his unbeaten 80 off 52 balls powered India to a formidable 224/2.
Kohli gave the team more options by promoting himself to the opener's spot. The move makes sense as the two best batsmen in the Indian team get the maximum numbers of overs. The team management would be tempted to adopt the same strategy in the T20 World Cup as well.
