Fourth T20I: England, 159-1, defeated India, 158-7, by nine wickets

Harry Brook scored 79 and Phil Salt 59 as England cruised to victory with six overs to spare.

England’s remarkable run of form continued in Bristol, as India wilted under pressure to surrender the match, their composure, and the series in another surprisingly one-sided affair. Lacking conviction with the bat, sloppy in the field, error-strewn with the ball and seemingly resigned to defeat, India’s performance was a nightmare for the reigning world champions. Brook’s emerging side dominated completely, winning by nine wickets and standing on the verge of overtaking India as the world’s top-ranked T20 side should they win the series finale in Southampton on Saturday.

Brook remarked that this team “can go to some special places”, and reaching the top of the rankings would certainly qualify. He often speaks about the importance of adapting to conditions, something England have done impressively this year – in their series in Sri Lanka, during the World Cup there and in India, and now back on home soil.

“We’re always striving to be the best team in the world,” he said. “One thing we really wanted to do is adapt to conditions and play what’s in front of us.

And that’s what we’ve done really well over the past six or eight months.”

For India, the same message has become increasingly frustrating. “What works in India won’t necessarily work here,” said assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate. “We’ve talked endlessly about adaptability, but I think now it’s time we actually unpack that suitcase. The challenge to the group has been to admit that we’re underperforming abroad and ask ourselves – do we want to be a team that smashes 250 at home and looks great, or one that comes to places like this and excels when conditions are different? Do we have the mentality to make those changes?”

England’s key shift came in emphasis. Two days earlier, their bowlers had destroyed India en route to a 125-run win at Trent Bridge. This time, although their attack again performed admirably to restrict India to 159, it was the batters who took centre stage – particularly Brook. His 79 from 35 balls was a magnificent, often breathtaking innings that exposed the flaws of a side that only months ago lifted the World Cup, even if several of their stars were absent here.

Chasing a below-par total, England began cautiously and uneasily.

Jos Buttler fell early for eight, continuing a troubling run of form – he has not reached a half-century in T20 internationals since the high-scoring match against South Africa at Old Trafford last September, a span of 18 innings averaging just 15.16.

But his exit brought in his successor. Brook launched his second delivery for six, signalling his intent, and from there he was unstoppable.

Brook and Salt partnered to see the chase through, though Salt’s start was shaky – he failed to score from his first nine balls. India responded not with pressure but with generosity, bowling no-balls in both the fourth and fifth overs to gift him free hits and relieve the tension.

After nine balls he had none, after 19 he was on 26, and by 34 deliveries he had reached his half-century.

Brook reached his fifty much sooner, smashing Axar Patel for a huge six down the ground – his landmark coming from just 21 balls. This was in the middle of a three-over spell that turned a contest heading England’s way into one they couldn’t possibly lose: the required rate dropped from seven at the end of the seventh over to below four by the tenth. In that period alone, Brook struck eight boundaries including two sixes. As India’s energy faded in the evening sun, he continued until the 14th over, when he stepped back and lofted Arshdeep Singh for his fourth and most elegant six. Three deliveries later, the match was done, Brook finishing unbeaten on 79.

At the toss – as with every previous one in this series – India’s captain Shreyas Iyer won and vowed his team would maintain their “fearless” approach. Yet what they actually abandoned was discipline. Until Iyer’s own arrival, India’s batters seemed incapable of clearing the fielders without skying the ball high enough for a comfortable catch. It was a strangely subdued batting display, though Iyer himself compiled 80 from 49 balls, his second fifty of a series otherwise defined by disarray.

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