Harry Brook has led England to the brink of becoming the world’s No 1 T20 side, but one final step to the summit remains.
England have already clinched a comprehensive T20 series victory over India with a game to spare after emphatic wins by four wickets, 125 runs and nine wickets at Old Trafford, Trent Bridge and Bristol respectively.
If England, who have won 19 of their last 22 completed T20 games, can inflict a fourth straight defeat on India, they will not only condemn their opponents to a 4-0 series loss but also overtake them as the world’s premier side in the format.
It would mark a remarkable transformation in England’s fortunes, four months on from their agonising seven-run defeat to India in the T20 World Cup semi-finals.
England have banished the demons of Mumbai – and then some – through the series, but captain Brook is not content, transfixed by the prospect of reaching the summit.
“We want to go out there and beat them convincingly again,” Brook said ahead of Saturday’s T20 in Southampton, live on Sky Sports. “But we’ve got to go to Southampton and try and assess the conditions as best we can.
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The best of the action from the fourth T20I in a sunny Bristol as England demolished India for the second time this week to secure a first-ever series win over their opponents in the format.
“That’s something we’ve done well in this series so far and executed our plans. The one thing we’ve wanted to do in the last couple of years is adapt to conditions, play what’s in front of us.
“That’s what we’ve done well over the last six to eight months as a T20 side and as an ODI side in Sri Lanka.
“Keep doing that and good things will happen. To go to world No 1 would be cool.
“T20 is never going to be easy and it’s a fickle game, but we’re playing some exceptional cricket.”
‘England’s best format’
Being crowned the best T20 side in men’s cricket would be a fitting reward, according to Sky Sports Cricket’s Nasser Hussain, who says the format is providing much-needed relief for English cricket after a dramatic period for the Test side.
“Becoming No 1 in the world has got to be England’s target – beating this India side and being top of the world,” the former England captain said.
“England, across the board – two top openers, a lot of good all-rounders, the decision to move their captain up to No 3 vindicated, quality fast bowlers, good in the field. I think this is England’s best format.
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Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain urges England to remain ruthless and maintain their intensity as they aim to secure a dominant T20 series victory.
“They have got one win in Australia and three semi-finals. That has got to be their challenge – not losing semi-finals like they did in Mumbai to this India side, but winning World Cups in this format.”
T20 World Cup winner Eoin Morgan said England must seize the opportunity to leapfrog India, not take it for granted, after humbling the tourists throughout the series.
“England are in a privileged position. Very rarely do sides humble world champions but that is they have done at Trent Bridge and Bristol,” Morgan said.
“England have to realise the opportunity that lies ahead because India are wounded, while England are absolutely flying. They have batted with temperament that hasn’t been there before, and bowled with a huge amount of confidence to put India on their backside.
“Leapfrogging India as the world No 1 ranked side is a huge opportunity that should not be taken for granted. This format is becoming England’s best format numbers wise, it’s their most successful in recent times.”
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Harry Brook reflects on England’s dominant series win over India and outlines their ambition to become the world’s No.1 side.
‘Archer, Tongue working in tandem’
Brook, whose destructive unbeaten 79 from 35 balls helped England coast home with 37 balls to spare in Bristol on Thursday, has not only impressed with the bat but also with his captaincy, consistently adapting after losing every toss in the series.
Brook has skilfully deployed quicks Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue to dismantle India’s top order time and again, with the pair taking six wickets apiece in the three completed games.
“To have two of your premium quicks, both fit and in rhythm, you’ve got to realise how infrequent that happens and how difficult it is to consistently do it,” Morgan said.
“Seeing Archer and Tongue in tandem, their ability to bowl with venom and accuracy, and change the pace and outlook of the game, creates an avenue to take wickets for a captain and fielding unit.
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England’s Harry Brook smashes four boundaries in a row and a six on his way to a sensational 21-ball fifty against India in the fourth T20.
“When you don’t have a bowler – or two – that can bowl upwards of 90mph, it’s a completely different side. It’s a pleasure to watch them as an England fan.”
Hussain insisted Archer and Tongue’s success wasn’t down to raw pace alone.
“It’s not just pace. There are some very fast bowlers around the world. It’s skill as well, and those cross-seam deliveries from Tongue and Archer have come off at different paces and got India’s batters concerned,” he explained.
‘Questions for India’
England’s ascent has been in stark contrast to the way India have unravelled since defending their T20 World Cup crown in March.
There has been a degree of mitigation, with World Cup winners Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav among those missing from this series, but India have looked a shadow of the side that conquered the world just four months ago.
India followed a first-ever series defeat to Ireland last month with their biggest-ever T20 defeat, by 125 runs, to England at Trent Bridge.
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15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hit two boundaries before being dismissed as Sam Curran caught him out after a wild swing.
It is the first time since February 2019 that India have lost two consecutive bilateral T20 series, with serious questions being asked of head coach Gautam Gambhir’s tactics and selection.
“India have got into the habit of winning in T20 cricket,” former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik said.
“But this is a side that is in transition. They have brought in a lot of young faces and a new captain.
“Lots of questions are being asked about the XI they are playing, the players they are leaving out, the bowling changes and the batting order. Plenty has been questioned, as is always the case when you lose four out of five games.
“India players and coaching staff will feel the heat because they are world champions, they have set the standard, and they are not living up to that.
“When you lose a game, you want to be fighting, you want to be within touching distance. But if you are getting blown away consistently, twice against England and losing to Ireland, you have to sit back and ask: what sort of team have I picked? Am I happy with these youngsters? Am I going to give them time?”
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