Tilak Varma surmounts England's speed test, India lead T20I series 2-0

Generally, most visiting sides simply try to replicate the home team's success formula—spin.

- Sanjeev K Samyal

MUMBAI: It thus needs some conviction for a visiting side to do what England coach Brendon McCullum and captain Jos Buttler are doing, taking on India's batting with pacers, despite similar tactics not paying off in the first game at Kolkata.

The second T20I game between India and England at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium made for an interesting case study for how the teams played, looking to exploit the other's weaknesses. While India loaded their bowling unit with spinners, England included four genuine quicks and one frontline spinner in Adil Rashid.

Though England lost a thrilling game by two wickets on Saturday, there wasn't much to differentiate between the teams. Showing admirable maturity, Tilak Varma made the difference with a superb unbeaten 72 (55 balls, 4x4, 5x6).

It wasn't a typical Chennai turner but there were enough help for spinners after India opted to bowl. And after England batters' spin troubles continued as they managed just 165/9, it looked like the visitors' think-tank had got their combination wrong.