Captain Shreyas Iyer breaks silence after India’s humiliating defeat, calls performance ‘atrocious’

India left searching for answers after another disappointing outing as England sealed the T20I series with one match to spare. Captain Shreyas Iyer did not hide his disappointment after watching his side suffer a heavy defeat at Trent Bridge, admitting the performance fell well below the standards expected from the team.

Shreyas Iyer calls India’s performance ‘atrocious’

India’s chase of 202 never got going as the batting line-up collapsed for just 76 in 11.4 overs, their biggest defeat in T20 Internationals by runs. Following the match, Iyer admitted the result was difficult to accept and said the team must learn from the setback.

“It was atrocious, losing by that margin is not acceptable. First things first, we have to accept the loss and go back to drawing board,” Iyer said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

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The defeat also meant England took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the five-match series after the opening T20I was washed out.

India failed to read the conditions, says Iyer

Reflecting on the game, Iyer felt India allowed England to score well above what the pitch deserved. He also pointed to the early collapse during the run chase as the biggest reason behind the one-sided result.

“I don’t think it was a 200 wicket. We lost four wickets in the powerplay and that itself pushed us back. You can plan a lot but once you come to the ground you need to adapt. Try to figure out what is the right length. I felt the hard length was tough (to hit) and we didn’t execute,” he said.

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India urged to bounce back in remaining matches

Despite the disappointing defeat, Iyer wants his teammates to move on quickly and focus on finishing the series strongly. The India captain said every player now has to take responsibility and contribute in the upcoming matches.

“We need to comeback strong and not dwell too much about the past. Every individual has to think and see how they can contribute to the team,” Iyer said.

India will now head to Bristol for the fourth T20I on Thursday before the series concludes in Southampton on Saturday. With the series already out of reach, the visitors will be aiming to restore some pride by finishing on a positive note.