3rd T20I: Suryakumar Yadav praises Adil Rashid as world-class after India's defeat

Rajkot, Jan 28 (NationPress) Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav acknowledged his team's deficiencies following the end of their ten-match unbeaten run on home soil, suffering a 26-run loss to England in the third T20I of the five-match series at the Niranjan Shah Stadium on Tuesday.

Choosing to bowl first, India had glimpses of success but ultimately failed to stop England from posting a demanding total of 171/9. Opener Ben Duckett provided a strong start with a rapid 51 off 28 balls, while Liam Livingstone contributed 43 off 24 to maintain the momentum. Nevertheless, England’s middle and lower order faltered against the cunning bowling of Varun Chakravarthy, who achieved a remarkable 5 for 24, disrupting their strategy.

England's bowlers, especially Adil Rashid (1-15), Jamie Overton (3-24), Jofra Archer (2-33), and Brydon Carse (2-28), executed their tactics flawlessly, securing a crucial victory to keep the series competitive. Praising Rashid’s impactful bowling, Suryakumar referred to him as a world-class talent.

“I anticipated some dew. With Hardik-Axar batting and needing 55 off 24, I felt we had the match under control. Credit to Adil Rashid for not allowing us to rotate the strike, which is why he is considered a world-class bowler. We learn valuable lessons from T20 matches, and conceding 170 runs from 127/8 was excessive. Our batting also needs improvement. It was encouraging to see Shami perform well. Varun has been working hard and showing great discipline, which is reflected in his results,” Yadav remarked post-match.

India's innings began tentatively, with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood applying early pressure. Sanju Samson scored only three runs before succumbing to Rashid in the third over, attempting an ill-advised expansive shot.

Abhishek Sharma injected some hope with a series of boundaries, scoring 24 off 14 balls, but his aggressive approach led to his dismissal, miscuing a shot off Brydon Carse. At 35/2, India appeared fragile and needed a solid partnership. Suryakumar briefly lifted spirits with his signature style, hitting a six and a boundary, but his ambitious scoop off Mark Wood ended his innings at 14 off 7.

Tilak Varma (18 off 14) and Hardik Pandya attempted to regroup, but Adil Rashid’s clever variations stifled their momentum. Rashid’s brilliance continued as he dismissed Tilak, leaving India in a tough spot at 78/4 at the midway point. Washington Sundar (6 off 15) struggled to find his rhythm and ultimately fell to Jamie Overton, leaving India at 86/5. Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel sought to quicken the pace, but the required run rate continued to rise.

Brydon Carse bowled a tight 16th over, allowing just seven runs, before Pandya sparked life into the chase by hitting a six and a four off Mark Wood’s 17th over. Nonetheless, the challenge remained steep with 41 needed off the last two overs. Jofra Archer removed Axar Patel in the 18th over, leaving Pandya as India’s last hope. Jamie Overton delivered a critical blow in the 19th over, dismissing Pandya for a resilient 40 off 35. Overton’s disciplined bowling clinched the match, leaving India facing an insurmountable 34 off the final over.

Brydon Carse concluded the match by dismissing Dhruv Jurel on the first ball of the last over, with India finishing at 145/7.