​India’s cricket board plans to review the T20 team’s performance after a disappointing sequence that saw the reigning world champions lose back-to-back series in Ireland and England, a senior official indicated. India were swept by England, suffering a nine-wicket defeat in the fourth T20 on Thursday, which gave the hosts an unassailable 3-0 lead with one game to play after the opening match was washed out. The loss marked India’s fifth consecutive defeat, coming on the heels of a 2-0 whitewash in Ireland last month.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will convene a meeting to examine the causes behind the team’s disappointing showing on the England tour, with the discussion scheduled to take place after the England series concludes on July 19, according to secretary Devajit Saikia. Saikia, who is currently in Edinburgh for the International Cricket Council’s annual conference, told the AFP news agency in a telephone interview, “The BCCI is closely monitoring the performance of the Indian T20 team, which has not lived up to expectations in the ongoing series against England. We will hold a review with the core members of the squad to discuss what went wrong in England.”
India, fresh from lifting the T20 World Cup in March, have experienced a steep decline in form. In Bristol on Thursday, they could muster 158-7, a target England chased down with nine wickets to spare and more than six overs to spare. The setback followed a brutal 76-run defeat at Nottingham, India’s heaviest T20 loss by a margin of 125 runs.
Saikia described the downturn as a temporary setback, saying, “This is not something abnormal and can happen in international cricket. We view it as a phase that can pass.” The Indian team, coached by Gautam Gambhir, has been missing pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Hardik Pandya due to workload and injury-management considerations. Teen prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was given a long-awaited debut at 15, has yet to make a significant impact, managing scores of 14, 13 and 15 in his three innings.
The two teams are set to meet again in the fifth and final T20 in Southampton on Saturday, before a three-match ODI series. The forthcoming discussions will likely focus on team selection, strategies, and the broader plan to restore consistency across formats after a challenging phase that has raised questions about preparation, leadership, and player management ahead of future international assignments.