Former Indian cricketer Maninder Singh on Monday expressed his disappointment following India’s 4-wicket loss to England in the 2nd T20I. He highlighted that despite India being in a strong position until the 16th over, crucial errors cost them the match. Speaking to ANI, Maninder particularly criticised the 17th over, where Ravi Bishnoi conceded 29 runs, citing the importance of disciplined bowling in modern T20 cricket. “It was very disappointing, because till the 16th over I felt that this game was in India’s pocket. But the way Bishnoi put in the 17th over and the way he bowled no-balls, cutting the side line, I feel that the coaching staff with the team, it is their job to help him,” he said.
Maninder expressed disappointment with the loss, pointing out that bowling no-balls in T20S is a “crime”. “When bowlers are practising in the nets, the bowling coach isn’t paying enough attention to their positioning or whether they might bowl a no-ball during a match. In today’s cricket, I consider bowling a no-ball a crime. We lost the match because of the 29 runs Bishnoi conceded in the 17th over,” he added.
Meanwhile, Maninder Singh supported the newly appointed T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer, noting the lack of preparation time compared to his IPL role with Punjab Kings and backed Shreyas to make a comeback and get his first win as T20I captain soon.
“His first win will come. As captain of PBKS, he knows his players very well because they hold a long camp before every IPL, which allows him to get to know everyone. He hasn’t had that kind of time here, but he is a captain with a good head on his shoulders who thinks really well. His winning streak will come; he knows how to motivate the boys. Once he has a team of his choice, it will start to make a difference,” he added.
He also shared his thoughts on debutant Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the ongoing batting struggles, which have appeared shaky throughout the UK tour. He noted Tilak Varma’s struggles with his strike rate, Sanju Samson’s lack of form, and Ishan Kishan’s 40-ball 49-run knock in Manchester, a performance significantly slower than his usual explosive standards.
The former cricketer highlighted the stark contrast between English and Indian conditions and the adjustment period required for players, especially following the high-scoring “run-fest” of the 2026 IPL. He further suggested that the squad should have travelled much earlier to acclimatise.
“I am a little worried about India’s batting struggles because the conditions are so different,” he said. “The conditions in England are totally distinct from those in India.”
He explained the technical difficulties players face, stating, “When you play in the IPL, you get batting pitches where the ball comes onto the bat perfectly, making it easy to play shots. Here in England, it is a bit more uncertain; even in the summer with the sun out, there is still moisture in the air. In India, pitches have a different kind of bounce. Yesterday, we saw that when Vaibhav Sooryavanshi or Abhishek Sharma tried to hit big shots early on, they were tested by the bounce.”
