table of contents
India’s crushing defeat against England in the third T20I has sparked a new debate on the team’s approach and the performance of its young players. After the record defeat in Nottingham, former Finance Minister of India and current Rajya Sabha MP P. Chidambaram shared a strong message for the young players like Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
The veteran lawyer and politician has firmly stated that talent alone is not enough to succeed at the highest level after the Menin Blue were bowled out for 76 runs in 12 overs while chasing a tough target of 202 against England in the third T20I on July 7.
P.Chidambaram criticized India’s young batsmen, asked them to learn from Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli
Chidambaram did not directly name any individual player, but he pointed to India’s young cricketers, including teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The former finance minister said that these players should learn from iconic batsmen like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have made their careers by performing under pressure and playing to win matches.
Criticizing the youngsters’ over-aggressive approach with the bat, Chidambaram stressed that the game of cricket is not just about entertainment but is also a game where winning means a lot. Meanwhile, Sanjay Manjrekar asked Sanju Samson to improve his fitness, follow Virat Kohli’s footsteps.
Taking to his official
Cricket is not just entertainment. It’s sports plus entertainment. Our young players – no matter how talented they are – should learn this lesson from players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
The game is played to win.
– P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) July 7, 2026
England’s fast bowlers destroyed India’s batting line-up
Well, it was one of the worst days for India in T20 International cricket as England registered a massive 125-run win at Trent Bridge. Chasing 202 runs, the Men in Blue were all out for 76 runs in just 11.4 overs. This was India’s biggest defeat in terms of runs in T-20 history.
After the first match was washed out due to rain, India has given England a 2-0 lead in the ongoing five-match T20 series. The Indian batting order completely disintegrated in front of the England bowlers. Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue bowled with pace and accuracy, making life difficult for every batsman.
Archer took three wickets, while Tanguay took four, as India’s chase ended in shocking fashion. Teenage Vaibhav Suryavanshi displayed fearless batting by hitting a six each against Archer and Tong. However, he could only score 13 runs from five balls before being caught trying to attack a sharp short-pitched ball.
England crosses 200 runs, India’s top order fails miserably
It was another reminder that international cricket is a completely different challenge than the IPL, where he stunned world-class bowlers. And then, Abhishek Sharma (10) also lost his wicket after another aggressive shot, while Ishan Kishan (13) also failed to convert his start despite hitting a six. Captain Shreyas Iyer (5) also failed to step forward and lead the team.
Against England, seven batsmen were out on the score of just one point. Earlier in the match, England had made a strong score of 201/7. Opener Phil Salt played a brilliant inning of 70 runs, while all-rounder Sam Curran remained unbeaten on 41 runs.
England crossed the 200-run mark against India by adding 89 runs in the last eight overs. Due to this crushing defeat, the pressure on head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shreyas Iyer has increased. With England firmly leading the series, India will now have to come back strongly and win the remaining matches to level the T20 series.
