India captain Shreyas Iyer produced a one-man show in Bristol, scoring unbeaten 80 runs off 49 balls to guide India to 158 for 7 against England in the fourth T20I. With that, the newly appointed skipper set multiple new records in what is a must-win clash for the Men in Blue in the five-match series.ย
In such a high-pressure clash at the County Ground, Iyer anchored the innings after India found themselves in a challenging situation. They were reduced to 48/3 at one stage and things were not looking good for the visitors. Thatโs when Shreyas stood up to the occasion as his knock not only lifted the visitors to a respectable total but also placed his name alongside some of the biggest milestones in Indian and world T20I cricket.
With 80* to his name, Shreyas matched Virat Kohliโs record for most runs by an Indian captain against England. The former India skipper set the milestone against the Three Lions on March 20, 2021.ย
The innings also elevated Iyer to the top of another notable list. His aggregate reached 190 runs in the ongoing bilateral T20I series, making him India’s highest run-scorer in a bilateral T20I series played in England. The previous benchmark belonged to Suryakumar Yadav, who accumulated 171 runs during India’s three-match T20I series in England in 2022.
Thatโs not the end. With the knock, Shreyas became the first captain in international cricket to register two 50+ scores in a bilateral T20I series held in England.ย
Is the score enough for India?
It will be extremely difficult for India to contain England under 158 runs. Their batters have dominated the series so far and unless a miracle happens, the Harry Brook-led side should chase it down with absolute ease. In the meantime, two of Indiaโs bowlers are ruled out of the match and reportedly out of the fifth T20I as well.
Ahead of the toss, Shreyas confirmed that Varun Chakaravarthy and Harshit Rana are dealing with respective injuries and wonโt be available. Washington Sundar and Prasidh Krishna replaced them in the middle. However, the bowling unit hasnโt been the main problem. Itโs the batters that have let them down time and again this series and the fourth T20I was no exception.ย
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