Azharuddin Urges Indian Team to Adapt Quickly to English Conditions

Former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin has urged the national team to quickly adapt to the challenging English conditions following their third consecutive T20I defeat against England. He highlighted the differences between international cricket and franchise formats like the IPL, stressing the need for players to learn from their setbacks. With the team facing significant losses, including a humiliating defeat where they were bowled out for just 76 runs, Azharuddin remains hopeful that the players will regain their pride in the final T20I before the ODI series against England. Read on to discover more about Azharuddin's insights and the team's performance.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 10, 2026, 23:48 IST

Adapting to English Conditions

Hyderabad [Telangana], July 10: Mohammad Azharuddin, the former captain of India and current Telangana Minister, has emphasized the need for the Indian cricket team to swiftly adjust to the unique challenges posed by English conditions. This call comes after India faced its third consecutive defeat against England in the ongoing T20I series.

In a statement following India's latest loss, Azharuddin highlighted that players must understand that international cricket in England requires a different mindset compared to franchise cricket. He stressed the importance of learning from their recent setbacks and demonstrating resilience in the final T20I.

“Playing in England is a different ball game. It’s not akin to the IPL. The sooner the Indian team comprehends this, the better it will be for them. In the IPL, the approach is to hit almost every delivery for six, but here, the ball swings, the conditions vary, and the pitch offers bounce,” Azharuddin remarked.

He noted that England's bowlers have effectively strategized against each batsman, indicating that the Indian team needs to put in significant effort. Despite the disappointing performances, he remains hopeful that the players will learn quickly and regain their pride in the upcoming match.

These comments follow India's fifth T20I defeat during their tour of Ireland and England, despite entering the year as the reigning ICC Men’s T20 World Cup champions, having secured the title with a 96-run victory over New Zealand earlier this year.

Under the leadership of newly appointed captain Shreyas Iyer, India lost the five-match series after a significant nine-wicket defeat in the fourth T20I at Bristol, giving England an unassailable 3-0 lead after the first match ended without a result.

Prior to this, India suffered a four-wicket loss in the second T20I and faced a staggering 125-run defeat in the third match, where they were bowled out for a mere 76 while chasing a target of 202.

This defeat adds to India's earlier 2-0 series loss to Ireland, marking the first time the country has lost a bilateral T20I series against the Irish. Both series losses occurred after the BCCI appointed Iyer as the T20I captain, replacing World Cup-winning skipper Suryakumar Yadav.

Although Iyer managed to score an unbeaten 80 runs off 49 balls in Bristol, leading India to a total of 158/7, England easily chased down the target in just 13.5 overs, thanks to captain Harry Brook's explosive 79 off 35 balls and Phil Salt's 59 off 42. This result also marked England's first bilateral T20I series victory over India in a multi-match series.

India will aim to restore some pride in the final T20I on Saturday before shifting their focus to the ODI series against England.