Rohit Sharma’s record third T20 hundred and Hardik Pandya’s brilliant all-round performance helped India beat England by six wickets in the final T20I to take the three-match series 2-1 at Bristol.
Rohit remained unbeaten on 100 and Pandya played a swashbuckling innings of 33 off just 14 balls as India knocked down 199-run set by England in 18.4 overs.
Captain Virat Kohli too chipped in with a crucial innings of 43 off just 29 balls.
Rohit stroked his way to 100 not out, his third T20I hundred, with the help of 11 fours and five sixes, adding 89 runs for the third wicket with Kohli, who got his first score of note on the tour of UK.
Virat's 43 came from 29 balls and had two fours and two sixes.
Chasing a decent target of 199 on a small ground, India made a bright start with 21 runs on board after the second over but opener Shikhar Dhawan (5) got out immediately as Jake Ball made a fine diving catch at short fine leg.
The other opener Rohit Sharma was in good touch as he hit Liam Plunkett for two sixes and a four in the fourth over to build up the momentum of the Indian run chase.
Lokesh Rahul (19 off 10 balls) fell to a spectacular catch by Chris Jordan who made a huge ground from long-on and then flung himself full length to pluck the ball out of nowhere. Despite that, India were on course with 70 on board for 2 wickets at the end of powerplay.
Ben Stokes was introduced in the seventh over and he made an immediate impact by conceding just two runs from that over. But Rohit was not the one to remain quiet as he collected a few more fours to reach his fifty off 28 balls in the ninth over while also taking Indian score to 100 for 2 at halfway mark.
Rohit then launched on Plunkett with a six and a four in the 11th over and captain Virat Kohli, who came on the crease at the fall of Rahul, joined the party with a six in the next over to place India well on course of the target.
The Indian captain began to gain in confidence as he hit another six off Plunkett before he fell victim of Jordan in the 15th over, caught and bowled by the bowler in a soft dismissal.
Hardik Pandya, who came in for Kohli, immediately found the boundaries and India needed just 29 from the last three overs to win the match. India took 20 runs in the 18th over with Pandya hitting two fours and a six. Then he hit the winning runs, a six off Jordan to clinch the series.
England innings
India’s decision to drop Kuldeep Yadav and play four seamers based on the conditions on offer backfired as England made full use of the small boundaries of Bristol to pile on 198 for 9 in the decider on Sunday.
Put into bat, England got off to a high-flying start with openers Jason Roy and Jos Buttler going all guns blazing. England reached fifty in 4.3 overs, putting the pressure right back on the young Indian seamers – Deepa Chahar, Umesh Yadav and Siddharth Kaul.
In the absence of Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah, India struggled to put a lid on the scoring in the powerplay. The situation worsened with Pandya was clobbered for 22 in his first over. The decision to drop left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep, meant Kohli had no one to fall back on went Buttler and Roy were going hammer and tongs.
The young Indian bowling line-up did manage to crawl their back in the second half of the England innings. Kaul and Chahar struck in quick succession to send both Buttler (34 off 21) and Roy (67 off 31), much to the relief of the large crowd present on a Sunday afternoon.
Hardik Pandya, backed by some outstanding glove work by MS Dhoni, who became first wicketkeeper to take five catches in T20Is, orchestrated a strong Indian comeback.
Pandya accounted for Hales (30), Morgan (6), Stokes (14), Bairstow (24) to put the brakes on the England innings, returning with figures of 4 for 38.
England managed to score 96 runs in their last 11 overs, losing 8 wickets.
Apart from Pandya, Siddharth Kaul was the pick of the bowlers, picking up two wickets for 35 runs. Chahal went wicket-less but was gave away only 30 runs, choking the England middle order.
Toss Report
India won the toss and elected to bowl first against England in the series-deciding third T20I at Bristol.
India sprung in a surprise by handing debut to Rajasthan fast bowler Deepak Chahar, who replaced Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Kumar, India's premiere fast bowler, missed out because of a soar back.
Chahar is the second medium pacer to make his debut in India’s UK tour after Siddharth Kaul, who played his first T20I against Ireland, a week ago.
Kaul, too has been drafted into the playing XI in place of Kuldeep Yadav, yes you read that right.
Chahar was called in as the replacement of Jasprit Bumrah after the latter was ruled out of the limited overs leg with a fractured thumb.
Chahar and Kaul’s inclusion has a lot to do with the greenish tinge on the pitch on offer. India after a long time have gone in with just one spinner in a T20I.
"Looks like a pretty hard wicket. Not too much of moisture but there is a good covering of grass on it. We have got two changes. Bhuvi has a stiff back. Kaul replaces him. Deepak Chahar makes his debut. He is a new guy, swings the ball both ways and comes in for Kuldeep. Looking at the dimensions and the breeze flowing, we thought we will play an extra seamer. You have to weigh your options. It is just about the balance of the side. A great opportunity for others. It is going to be paramount how these young players react," said Kohli
England, on the other hand, took a tough call by dropping Test captain Joe Root. Root made way for a Ben Stokes, who according to England captain Eoin Morgan, is fit to bowl.
“We would have looked to chase. all set for a good game though. Cardiff flew through more than we expected. We have one change. Joe Root misses out and Ben comes in. Obviously great to have Ben back, he is fit bowl,” said Morgan.
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Virat Kohli(c), Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni(w), Hardik Pandya, Deepak Chahar, Umesh Yadav, Siddarth Kaul, Yuzvendra Chahal
England (Playing XI): Jason Roy, Jos Buttler(w), Alex Hales, Eoin Morgan(c), Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Liam Plunkett, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Jake Ball