By Rohit - January 29, 2025 04:12 PMFollowing England's defeat in the first T20I against India in Kolkata, vice-captain Harry Brook attributed the team's difficulties in facing spin to the city's smog. He remarked, "Chakravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler. But with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick. Hopefully, the air is a bit clearer here and we can see the ball a bit easier."
Brook's struggles continued in subsequent matches. In the second T20I in Chennai, he was bowled by Varun Chakravarthy for 13 runs. The trend persisted in Rajkot during the third T20I, where Ravi Bishnoi dismissed him for a mere 8 runs. These repeated failures against spin have highlighted a significant vulnerability in Brook's batting approach.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan took a subtle jab at Brook's earlier remarks by tweeting, "Is it Smoggy in Rajkot?" Indian spin maestro Ravichandran Ashwin joined the conversation, responding to Vaughan's tweet with, "Just a little."
Despite the banter, Ashwin acknowledged the brilliance of England's leg-spinner Adil Rashid. He lauded Rashid's delivery that dismissed India's Tilak Varma, describing it as an "absolute seed" and commending the "scrambled seam and serious side spin."
England's challenges have been evident throughout the series. After a seven-wicket loss in the first T20I, they faced a narrow two-wicket defeat in the second match. The team's batting lineup has particularly struggled against India's spinners, a concern they will need to address ahead of the fourth T20I in Pune.
