Former India spinner Anil Kumble has described India's batting collapse in the third T20I against England as ‘an abject surrender,’ saying it was unbecoming of a world champion side. Speaking on JioStar, Kumble pulled no punches after England thrashed India by 125 runs on 8 July, extending their series lead to 2-0 in the five-match contest.

How England Dismantled India

England posted a formidable 201/7 in their 20 overs, anchored by a fluent 70 off 44 balls from Phil Salt. India's chase never got off the ground — the hosts were bowled out for a meagre 76 in 11.4 overs, marking the first time India have suffered a defeat by a margin of over 100 runs in men's T20 Internationals. The opening game of the series had been washed out, making this England's second consecutive win.

Kumble's Verdict: Archer, Tongue Exposed India's Frailties

‘It was an abject surrender by the Indian team. You don’t expect a world champion side to cave in like that. England’s bowlers were right on the money. Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue stuck to a clear plan. They bowled short, they bowled quick, and they kept the pressure on. Both were clocking over 145 kmph, making life difficult for the Indian batters, who couldn’t free their arms or find any rhythm,’ Kumble said.

He added that India’s batters lacked the patience the situation demanded. ‘The Indian batters needed to show more patience and application, but everyone just tried to attack instead of absorbing the pressure. Yes, the required rate was over 10, but someone had to take responsibility and bat deep. Instead, they went the aggressive route and paid the price with a batting collapse. It was a disappointing surrender by the Indian batting line-up.’

Constant XI Changes Hurting India, Says Kumble

Kumble also pointed to the revolving door in India’s bowling attack as a structural problem, advising captain Shreyas Iyer to settle on a core five bowlers. ‘The Indian team has made too many changes to their lineup and that needs to stop. The batting has stayed mostly the same. Yes, Sanju has been dropped and Vaibhav has come in, but other than that, it’s almost the same. But the bowlers keep changing. Prasidh Krishna was dropped after one bad game against Ireland. Prince Yadav came in, bowled well, and picked three wickets in the second T20I, but India still lost that game. As a new captain, you need to stick with your five bowlers. Batters will score runs, but bowlers win you matches,’ he said.

Complacency in Ireland, Consequences in England

Kumble drew a direct line between India’s recent series in Ireland and their current struggles on English soil. ‘India was complacent in Ireland, thinking they would just turn up and win. They didn’t adapt to the conditions. Once you lose those games and then you face a team like England on their home soil, it becomes tough because this English side is good and experienced. You need to adapt and change along the way.’

He also questioned the batting order decision, flagging that sending Harshit Rana ahead of Shivam Dube was a tactical error. ‘In T20 cricket, you put your best batters upfront. You can’t expect a number eight guy to win you a game by sending him to bat ahead of a proven guy. That’s not how things work in modern day cricket.’

With the series now at 2-0 and three matches remaining, India face mounting pressure to restructure their approach before the fourth T20I.