India and England move to the third T20 International with the series tied at 1-1. India's attempts at aggressive play failed in the first game as their batting order fell, but a bold half-century on debut from Ishan Kishan brought victory in the second game. England chased a small total in the first game but got tempered down by the slow pitch. Eoin Morgan admitted that they failed to set a large target for India in the second game.
India will have a hard time selecting Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, or Ishan Kishan for the top order. Kishan has proved himself and reflected the game Kohli talked about ahead of the series. After a man-of-the-match performance, this Jharkhand player has made a strong case for being kept on the sidelines. KL Rahul failed to play well in both games, but he was assigned as the first-choice opener in T20Is with Rohit Sharma ahead of the series. It is yet to be decided if Rahul or Ishan Kishan will be dropped. Suryakumar Yadav did not get a chance to showcase his talents in this series.
England is the no.1 T20I team in the world! The only thing that is not working for them in this series is that they play well on quicker pitches that suit their strengths. Morgan mentioned the importance of playing on slower conditions in this series for players to learn how to perform best on such pitches ahead of the marquee event. Mark Wood can make a return, and probably replace Tom Curran. England has a stable batting line-up though it is necessary for players to come up and play a big knock.
Corona Virus cases are increasing and becoming a sore eye for the spectators. England's three remaining T20 internationals against India in Ahmedabad will be played behind closed doors. Due to the rise in the number of coronavirus cases, it is a crucial decision to be implemented in time. Supporters were allowed to attend the first two games of the five-match series on Friday and Sunday. An ECB spokesman said to Sky Sports: "Aside from meaning there will be considerably less noise in the stadium it doesn't materially affect us. We remain in our bubble and even when crowds were in attendance we never came into contact with any of them, and the ball was sanitized whenever it was hit into the stands." BCCI honorary secretary Jay Shah said in a statement:
"The BCCI will continue to comply with all the regulations put in place to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus and will always put the health and safety of its fans and stakeholders at the top. Those who have purchased tickets for any or all three T20Is will be refunded."