England’s dominant win in Rajkot has set the T20I series ablaze! Their stellar bowling stunned India, turning the contest into a gripping battle. While India entered as favourites, England’s fightback has thrown the series wide open. With momentum shifting, the road to victory is anything but easy for India.

Opting to bowl first, India struck early as Hardik Pandya removed Phil Salt, who continued to struggle for form. Jos Buttler and Ben Duckett then rebuilt the innings, with Duckett taking charge in style. He played a blistering knock, racing to a well-crafted half-century. Buttler, after a cautious start, was settling in before Varun Chakaravarthy trapped him following a successful review.

Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi struck in quick succession, dismissing Ben Duckett and Harry Brook to put India on top. Then came Varun Chakaravarthy’s magic—he ran through England’s middle and lower order, claiming a stunning five-wicket haul, including Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, and Jofra Archer. Despite the collapse, Liam Livingstone landed a few big blows before falling, while a vital 24-run last-wicket stand between Adil Rashid and Mark Wood pushed England to a fighting total of 171.

India’s chase began shaky as Jofra Archer removed Sanju Samson early for the third time in the series. Abhishek Sharma showed promise with a brisk 24 but fell to Brydon Carse on 31. Suryakumar Yadav’s struggles continued as he departed for just 14. With no dew to aid batting, the sluggish pitch made scoring increasingly difficult.

India faltered in their chase, losing wickets regularly and failing to build momentum. Hardik Pandya put up a fight with a gritty 40 off 35 balls, but the climbing required run rate kept the target out of reach. Ultimately, India fell 26 runs short, handing England a crucial victory.

With the series poised at 2-1, all eyes are now on the fourth T20I in Pune. Known for assisting spinners, the pitch could play into the hands of Varun Chakaravarthy, Axar Patel, and Ravi Bishnoi. The last India-England clash at this venue came in 2012, with India securing a five-wicket win.

England’s spirited fightback has set up a thrilling contest. India must regroup and deliver their best to seal the series in Pune.