Shreyas Iyer reveals India’s biggest mistakes after England complete 4-0 T20I series sweep

India captain Shreyas Iyer admitted his side was left with plenty of lessons after England completed a dominant 4-0 clean sweep in the five-match T20I series. Following the 56-run defeat in the final game at The Rose Bowl on Saturday, Iyer highlighted the areas where India fell short throughout the tour and stressed the need to improve before the ODI series.

The defeat also saw India surrender the No. 1 spot in the ICC Men’s T20I rankings, with England replacing the reigning world champions at the top.

‘We need to adapt better,’ says Shreyas Iyer

Reflecting on the disappointing series, Iyer said India’s inability to adjust to changing conditions across different venues was one of the biggest reasons behind the team’s struggles.

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“There’s a lot to take. Especially the conditions, the awareness. It’s all about adaptation, I feel. Conditions kept changing from match to match. As professionals, we need to learn.”

Also Read: Harry Brook, Jos Buttler rewrite RECORD books with 233 run stand as England scored 257 vs India

The Indian skipper also admitted that the team’s fielding let them down at crucial moments and believes better communication will help the players improve in the future.

“It’s important that we communicate as much as possible about what we could have done better over here. Fielding plays a key role in winning matches. This is one aspect we need to work on.“

Dropped catches changed the game

India missed key opportunities in the field as Jos Buttler and Harry Brook made the visitors pay. The pair added a match-defining 233-run partnership for the second wicket after being offered chances during their innings.

Iyer felt those missed opportunities made a huge difference, as England eventually posted a daunting 257/3. India fought back through half-centuries from Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma but finished on 201/8, falling 56 runs short.

“Especially on the track, which was a belter, we could’ve probably bluffed. But we also dropped a couple of catches. Could’ve been chasing 220-225. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get that opportunity. We lost (wickets) in clusters.”

The captain also praised England for making full use of home conditions and executing their plans with the ball.

“I felt their execution in bowling was spot on. And they’ve played a lot of cricket over here. Sensational batting by Buttler, and then Harry came in. We dropped a couple of catches, and that could’ve changed the rhythm of the game.”

With the T20I series now over, India will quickly turn their attention to the three-match ODI series against England. The first ODI will be in Birmingham on July 14 and will give Iyer and company a chance to bounce back after a lacklustre T20I campaign.