BCCI to review players', coaching staff's performances after England T20I series loss; Gambhir's position under scrutiny: Source
By Vipul Kashyap, New Delhi, July 10
The Indian men's cricket team's T20I series defeat against England, following the loss in the fourth match in Bristol, has prompted a performance review. According to a BCCI source, the board is set to assess the performances of both the players and the coaching staff.
Although head coach Gautam Gambhir's contract runs until 2027, his position has also come under scrutiny following the team's recent performances, according to a BCCI source.
India, led by newly appointed captain Shreyas Iyer, suffered a nine-wicket defeat in the fourth T20I of the five-match series. The victory gave England an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series, with the opening match ending in a no-result. India suffered a four-wicket defeat in the second T20I before enduring a heavy 125-run loss in the third match, where they were bowled out for 76 while chasing a target of 202 runs.
Notably, this is India's second consecutive T20I series defeat as the defending T20 World Cup champions, following their 2-0 loss to Ireland before the England tour. The defeat against Ireland also marked India's first-ever series loss to the side.
Notably, both series defeats have come after the BCCI made a bold change by replacing experienced campaigner and 2026 T20I World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav as skipper with Shreyas Iyer.
The win in Bristol marked England's first-ever bilateral T20I series win over India in a contest of two or more matches.
Batting first, India managed 158/7, with Iyer scoring a fighting unbeaten 80 off 49 balls, but received little support from the rest of the batting line-up.
In reply, England made light work of the chase, reaching the target in just 13.5 overs thanks to explosive half-centuries from captain Harry Brook (79 off 35) and Phil Salt (59 off 42). Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue claimed two wickets apiece. India will now look to salvage some pride in the final T20I, while England will target a dominant series finish.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an Indian cricket fan living abroad, I've been following this series closely. The batting collapse for 76 was embarrassing for a team that calls itself the defending champions. Gambhir needs to take responsibility, but the players also need to step up. Iyer's 80 was brilliant but one man can't win a series alone.
Gambhir ka time khatam ho gaya hai. Before the T20 World Cup, we had a solid team under Suryakumar Yadav, and now look at the mess. The BCCI should have never made such a drastic change right before a major tournament. This defeat against Ireland was a warning sign, but they ignored it. Now we've lost to England at home conditions? Unacceptable. 🙏
I think we're being too harsh on Gambhir. He's a new coach and needs time to settle. The performance review is good, but four matches is too small a sample size to judge him. The real problem is the top order failing consistently. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul need to contribute more, not just Iyer. Let's not forget we won the World Cup under his vision.
It's painful to watch India struggle like this. The bowling attack also looked toothless against England's aggression. Jasprit Bumrah is missed badly. But the biggest question is the captaincy change - why fix something that wasn't broken? Suryakumar Yadav led brilliantly in the World Cup. This constant chopping and changing is killing team morale. BCCI needs to think long-term.
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