Chennai: Jos Buttler displayed some impressive individual resistance, but it wasn’t enough to prevent England from being restricted to a modest 165/9 in the second T20I against India. Despite Buttler’s fluent knock of 45 (30 balls, 2 fours, 3 sixes), Indian spinners capitalized on the slow Chennai surface to dominate the English batters.
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Early Breakthroughs and Buttler’s Aggression
The match started with a breakthrough as Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh dismissed Phil Salt in the first over. Salt’s pull shot was caught by Washington Sundar at square leg. Buttler then provided some spark with his aggressive strokes, including a sequence of 4, 6, 4 off Singh, but the rest of the English batters failed to build partnerships.
Axar Patel and Washington Sundar Lead the Spin Charge
Indian vice-captain Axar Patel (2/32) was particularly effective, benefiting from the pitch conditions that aided the spinners. Buttler’s attempt to accelerate was halted when he was caught by Tilak Varma, and soon after, Liam Livingstone fell to substitute Harshit Rana’s catch. Washington Sundar’s earlier success also continued when he got Ben Duckett out, as Duckett’s reverse sweep was caught by Dhruv Jurel.
Also Read: Watch: Abhishek Sharma’s Brilliant 79 Guides India to Victory Over England in T20I Series Opener
Lower Order Fight, But England Falls Short
Brydon Carse briefly ignited England’s hopes with a quickfire 31 off 17 balls, including three sixes. However, a misunderstanding with Jofra Archer ended his promising innings. Harry Brook, who began brightly with a six off Varun Chakravarthy (2/38), was dismissed by a well-flighted delivery from Chakravarthy that breached his defences.
Spinners Prove the Difference
Despite a few strong blows from England’s lower order, they were ultimately limited to just 165/9. The Indian spinners, especially Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy, made excellent use of the conditions, leaving England to reflect on their batting approach as they struggled against spin.
