Kumar stands tall, Jordan's genius and England's fact-finding mission... INDIA V ENGLAND T20I TALKING POINTS

NICK FRIEND looks back at the major events of the fifth T20 international in Ahmedabad, where India clinched a series victory

England's fact-finding mission leaves questions unanswered

What a strange winter it has been for Moeen Ali, whose single match in subcontinental conditions across three months brought eight wickets and 49 runs.

There have been extenuating circumstances, of course – not least the positive Covid test upon arrival in Sri Lanka that ruled Moeen out of that two-Test series. Likewise, England’s commitment to an admirable rotation policy that saw the Worcestershire allrounder return home after his performance in Chennai.

But his treatment through these five T20Is has been unusual, with England only altering their resources once - due to Mark Wood's ankle injury - in the entire series. Since captaining against Australia in September, he has been left out in eight successive 20-over games at international level.

And so, it’s hard to know quite what England have learned in the last week. The No.7 role still seems dressed in uncertainty: Sam Curran, seemingly England’s preference currently, struggled with the bat through the series and rarely made an impact with the ball.

In five games, he bowled 10 overs and took only two wickets. Comparisons to David Willey are inaccurate beyond their left-arm angle – they possess different skillsets: Willey is a major threat with the new ball, while Curran is at his most dangerous through the middle overs. Questions must still remain, therefore, over whether he fits into England’s best side in its current structure.

Despite the dew, which might have spooked Eoin Morgan from risking Moeen’s off-spin, it was a surprise that he was never called upon, not least given his ability as a hitter against India’s spinners. If this was a fact-finding mission for England, it is not immediately obvious as to what new information they will have picked up.

Rohit Sharma sets tone for festival of hitting

“If Rohit starts hitting you down the ground in the powerplay, it's going to be a big day for him,” said Dinesh Karthik on Sky Sports, almost as a direct warning to England’s bowlers ahead of the carnage that ensued shortly afterwards.

Twice in an over he belted thunderbolts back past Mark Wood. And from then, the handbrake was lifted. Until today, England had largely kept a lid on Sharma, helped by the fact he was rested for the first two T20Is. On his return, he looked somewhat out of sorts against Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, both of whom dismissed him – one at 90mph, the other a slower delivery. But on this occasion – when it mattered most – he came to the party in devastating fashion; after all, Sharma rarely gets through a white-ball series without asserting his dominance.

Every ball seemed to fly to the boundary: either dead straight or picked up pleasingly over the legside. Only once did he lose his shape – in dragging a cutter from Ben Stokes onto his stumps. His reaction said it all: the frustrated swing at thin air of a man who sensed the possibility of an enormous score. Regardless, he set the wheels in motion for a brutal batting display, with Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya taking full advantage.

All three were accompanied by Virat Kohli, who was serene by comparison but gloriously in control. His half century took 36 balls, coming at the top of the order after KL Rahul was put out of his misery following a torrid run.

SUBLIME FROM CHRIS JORDAN!!! 🤯#INDvENGpic.twitter.com/BIYgfwSjgn

— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) March 20, 2021

Chris Jordan - the best fielder in the world?

Stop hitting the ball in the air to Chris Jordan. That is all.

Another absolutely ridiculous catch to add to his extraordinary collection. Not that the scorecard will credit Jordan.

Instead, it will read: Suryakumar Yadav - ct Roy, b Rashid

Is it time that we change the way in which we record the game? At the very least, Jordan deserved an assist, though arguably even that wouldn’t be sufficient reward for his contribution to a magnificent piece of athleticism, dripping in an astonishing nonchalance.

Jason Roy’s laughter painted the most appropriate picture, chuckling away as Jordan lobbed him the gentlest of underarms just seconds after sticking his hand out to pluck an otherwise-certain six out of the Ahmedabad sky.

^{Shardul Thakur took three wickets for India}

Bhuvneshwar Kumar wins the day

Given his position as the world’s top-ranked T20I batsman, it seems strange to consider that Dawid Malan was under some pressure – at least externally – ahead of this game. Four starts, all at his own pace, but without taking advantage of the balls he used up.

And so, it should have been no surprise that he returned to something like his best before long. Kohli is the only other man with a T20I average above 50 and more than 1,000 runs.

Question marks will continue to surround his method, especially when it doesn’t come off, but it is hard to argue with it at present. He could do little more here, with England forced to chase a mammoth total – the kind that requires perfection in order to be chased down.

That England fell away as they did was almost entirely down to the excellence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, whose figures were entirely at odds with every other bowler on either side.

The seamer’s four overs cost just 15 runs in a game where fireworks were the norm and almost no one was spared. That he even returned to the attack when he did was a major compliment to England’s earlier assault: Malan and Jos Buttler shared 130 in 82 deliveries, with Kohli forced to call on his experienced seamer to reassert an element of authority.

Until that point, this was a tremendous contest between two fine sides. And India, as they tend to on home soil, came out on top in the end.

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