Tilak Varma dominates England's speed test in Chennai

The second T20I match between India and England at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium provided a fascinating insight into the strategic approach of both teams. India opted for a spin-heavy bowling attack, while England went with four fast bowlers and one key spinner in Adil Rashid.

Though England lost a thrilling game by two wickets on Saturday, there wasn’t much to differentiate between the teams. Showing admirable maturity, Tilak Varma made the difference with a superb unbeaten 72 (55 balls, 4x4, 5x6).

It wasn’t a typical Chennai turner but there were enough help for spinners after India opted to bowl. And after England batters’ spin troubles continued as they managed just 165/9, it looked like the visitors’ think-tank had got their combination wrong.

Varun Chakravarthy took 2/38, Axar Patel 2/32 and Washington Sundar and Abhishek Sharma picked one each. Six of the first seven England wickets went to the spinners (one was run out). It was just the fourth time when four or more spinners have taken a wicket for India in a men’s T20I. The hosts bowled 14 overs of spin, the joint second most they have in a T20I.

England’s total looked around 20 runs short of par but their ploy to rattle India with speed almost paid off. The home batters were tested by pace and the game went to the wire. It was six needed off six balls with two wickets in hand. India had Varma to thank for in the end. Playing smart cricket, he handled nerves and used the extra speed to his advantage, unleashing daring strokes on way to a match-winning knock.

Jofra Archer and Mark Wood formed a formidable new-ball pair. If England looked clueless against spin, India looked clueless against pace, reduced to 19/2 in 2.3 overs.

The first match’s hero, opener Abhishek Sharma, began with a flourish hitting three fours in Archer’s first over but Wood’s 148kph nip-backer smashed into Abhishek’s pad and he won a leg-before verdict. Archer tested Sanju Samson with hard length thunderbolts in his second over. He rattled the opener and rushed Samson for pace when he looked to pull a 148kph delivery, offering a simple catch to Brydon Carse.

Buoyed by this success, England skipper Jos Buttler continued his strategy of extreme pace with Archer given a third over on the trot. But there are batters who are equipped to handle 150kph plus, and in Varma, India had one. Varma took on Archer to smash two sixes and a four, for 17 runs in the fifth over, bringing up India’s 50. When Carse started the sixth over with a bouncer, the southpaw got inside the line and the top edge flew over long leg for his third six in six balls.

Despite Varma holding one end up, England piled on the pressure through Adil Rashid. With India needing 71 from 48 balls, Buttler pressed the impressive Wood back into service. On his second delivery, he created the chance his team was looking for, but Rashid dropped a regulation catch to reprieve Washington. To add insult to injury, Washington plundered two fours and a six off the last three balls of the over. The 18 runs from Wood’s over tilted the scales, leaving India to get 53 off 42 balls and Varma stole the show.

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