After playing on “easy wickets and smaller boundaries” in India, especially during IPL 2026 earlier this year, England pace spearhead Jofra Archer feels that bowling in English conditions is a return to “normal” for him.
In the third Twenty20 International at Nottingham, India was dismissed for 76 in 11.4 overs while pursuing 202, with Archer returning figures of 3/29 and fellow fast bowler Josh Tongue claiming 4/38. This was India’s biggest run loss in the shortest format.
After taking over from T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer-led Indian team is still looking for their first T20I victory.
“I think it goes back to normal here,” PTI quoted Archer as saying at the post-match conference when asked how much his plans change while bowling to Indian batters after facing many of them in the IPL.
“You try to bowl the ball straight on a good length. Whereas over there, because the wickets are so easy and the boundaries are so small, you have to be really, really particular. Here, I feel your margin for error is a little bit bigger.”
In contrast to the IPL, where such scores are frequently seen as below par, he added that a total of 200 or more at Trent Bridge will always be challenging to chase.
“At the IPL, sometimes 200 isn’t safe. With 200 on the board on that wicket, I don’t want to say we were confident, but I felt it would have taken a really special innings to chase it down. I’m just glad everybody chipped in. Everybody who bowled got wickets today, so it was a complete bowling performance.”
The conditions in the UK have proven to be far more difficult for Indian batsmen. They have now fallen behind England 0-2 in the five-match competition after losing the Twenty20 International series to Ireland.
The towering Josh Tongue, who made his T20I debut in the second game, and Archer resumed their partnership with the ball. Together, they took seven wickets while often reaching speeds of over 144 kmph and extracting extra bounce to destroy India’s batting.
Archer responded that focused execution was more important than raw speed when asked if their pace was too much for the Indian batsmen.
“No, not really. I think we both bowled pretty well in Manchester. Neither of us really got the wickets to show for it there, so we’re just glad we got something today. I don’t think it was that pacey, to be honest. It may have been a little quicker, but there was a strong wind, so honestly I didn’t really feel that out of the hand.”
The series’ matchup between Archer and his Rajasthan Royals partner Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been one of the most fascinating. Before facing Tongue, the 15-year-old prodigy made an impression by hitting Archer for a first-ball six during his T20I debut in Manchester.
However, Archer had the last word at Trent Bridge, dismissing the teenager for 13 after hitting him with a sharp lifter at 145 kmph. Archer grinned when asked about the developing rivalry.
“Well yeah, I think it’s even now. But we’ve got another two games left and it could go either way, so may the best man win.”
Archer also commended Phil Salt, their opener, whose smooth 44-ball 70 set the stage for England’s formidable score.
“I guess it was really important. Obviously, knowing Phil as well, he would have liked to get going from the start. I’m really glad he didn’t throw his hand away because at one point he was five off nine.”
“The flow probably would have come in the next few balls anyway, so I’m really glad he stuck at it. Sometimes you’re not going to hit every ball from the start. I’m glad he spent some time in the middle and hopefully he can carry that through the rest of the series.”
Thursday’s fourth and penultimate Twenty20 International will take place in Bristol, and Saturday’s final will take place in Southampton.
