Cricket experts and former players on Saturday pointed out India’s ongoing batting issues after the reigning Twenty20 World Cup champions suffered consecutive T20 series defeats against England and Ireland.

England defeated India by 56 runs in the fifth and final T20I at Southampton, completing a 4-0 series victory after the opening match was abandoned due to rain. The setback followed India’s 2-0 T20 whitewash at the hands of Ireland last month.

Former cricketer and now commentator Dinesh Karthik observed that India’s batting lineup appeared unsettled throughout the tour.

“I feel India are struggling to adjust to the extra bounce,” Karthik said.

“The middle order looks shaky and lacks confidence. This isn’t the same Indian side we saw during the World Cup or in recent bilateral series, where they dominated opponents and played fearless cricket. So, where has that aggression gone?”

India’s captain Shreyas Iyer admitted that the team’s inability to adjust to varying conditions proved costly across the series.

“We kept moving from one venue to another and faced continuous challenges — especially with ground dimensions and playing conditions — and we couldn’t adapt as quickly as expected.

That’s something we need to address,” said Iyer, who took over as T20I captain in June.

Legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar stated that India’s batting had been a worrying area throughout the series.

“I believe the batting unit needs to step up because it’s the strongest part of this Indian team. If your strongest area underperforms, it naturally affects your bowling and fielding as well,” Gavaskar remarked.

Commentator Harsha Bhogle suggested that the defeat might serve as an important lesson for India.

“England outplayed India using the very approach India believed was their own,” Bhogle noted.

“If India treat this result as an opportunity to identify and address their weaknesses, it could ultimately benefit them.”

India will now turn their focus to the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against England, beginning on Tuesday.

India will now turn their focus to the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against England, beginning on Tuesday.