Jos Buttler struck just his second Twenty20 hundred of a 15-year England career as India were spectacularly dethroned as the world’s No 1-ranked side.
Buttler, 35, had gone 18 innings without even a 50, but put a rabble of an Indian team to the sword during a national record 233-run partnership with his successor as captain Harry Brook.
England now sit top the ICC’s table after Buttler’s career-best 131 from 64 balls, coupled with Brook’s unbeaten 95 off 45 condemned India to a 56-run defeat and ended their incredible unbroken reign of 1602 days as No 1.
This was England’s 20th win in 23 matches since Brook took over at the start of last summer, but India – whose late arrival, after being stuck in Southampton traffic delayed the start by an hour – have been as bad as they have been good.
In a worrying precursor to next year’s Ashes Test, it took Shreyas Iyer’s team one and a half hours to complete the six-mile journey to the Utilita Bowl from the Leonardo Royal hotel in Southampton.
‘We thought that we would be reaching in 20 minutes, but it was out of our control,’ Iyer said.
Jos Buttler was the catalyst for England’s T20 win over India on Saturday at the Utilita Bowl
Buttler scored a career best 131 as England inflicted a 53-run defeat on India in Southampton
The tardiness was symptomatic of India’s display. Having got Brook to the crease early on a belting Utilita Bowl pitch, they gifted England’s in-form batsman a life on three when Shivam Dube looked to have plenty of time to clutch a skier just outside the fielding circle, but never got there.
India would also shell Brook on 90 and Buttler immediately after he got to three figures – an innings he admitted was inspired by fear of the axe.
‘When you go a long time without scoring runs you think the guys at the top might be thinking: It’s time to move him on,’ Buttler said.
‘In a weird way that gave me a lot more freedom today – if I was going to fail, I’ll do it on my own terms. Days like this feel amazing. I think what I’ve missed is that feeling, the feeling of contributing to a series win, to winning games for England.
‘I’ve just missed batting, the feeling of being in control and playing well. There’s been days where you wonder if you’ll ever score 100 again in an England shirt, and I’m delighted to be able to do that.’
Each of the second-wicket pair hit eight sixes as India’s lack of an attack spearhead – the rested Jasprit Bumrah has arrived for the one-day internationals that begin on Tuesday – and a dearth of quality spin in the tourists’ ranks told.
It forced Iyer to bowl out Arshdeep Singh early in the hunt for an elusive breakthrough, and throw the ball to part-timer Dube at the death as England’s 213 runs from the final 15 overs took them to 257 for three, their third largest T20 total.
Seasoned observers suggest that the Indian hierarchy have identified the areas which need urgent attention. Yet anyone who has been following the series could have told them it is their batting, bowling and fielding.
Careering from one disaster to another, the shambolic fielding display concluded with the farcical failure to run Brook out from the final ball.
‘It definitely hurts, but I feel like it’s a great learning for me as a captain and for other players playing here for the first time. England played exceptional cricket throughout in all three departments,’ Iyer said.
Hours after their board secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the impending launch of an England style review into their under-par displays, India axed their precocious batting talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, answering post-match calls from the stands in Nottingham and Bristol to bring back World Cup star Sanju Samson.
Samson, player of the World Cup four months ago, returned fire on his comeback, but could not get beyond the power play, becoming one of Sam Curran’s three wickets.
And even though left-handers Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma hit rapid half-centuries, the damage had already been done.
India reached 109 for two at the halfway stage, yet still needed a touch under 15 runs an over to avoid another humiliation to go with their record 125-run defeat at Trent Bridge.
Iyer was out immediately after the drinks break, and when Kishan followed to a brilliant, diving catch in the deep two overs later, India’s chance of victory according to WinViz was a smidgen over one per cent.
India breached 200 for the first time in the series, but for the first time since February 2022, when Harry Kane’s England goal tally stood at a mere 48 and Jude Bellingham was yet to get off the mark – they were no longer the best 20-over team on the planet.
