Dube's spin takedown and Hardik's masterful pacing a sight to behold

India are middle-overs bludgeoners in T20 cricket. Since the start of 2024, no Full-Member side has scored at a faster rate (9.41 per over) or hit more fours (182) and sixes (141) than they have in overs 7 to 16. Yet England were able to stifle them in that phase using Adil Rashid in Rajkot to keep the series alive; India could score only 57 for 2.

India needed a fix in Pune, and in Shivam Dube they had one. Over the last couple of years, few batters have taken down spin like Dube has. Among those who have hit at least 40 sixes against spin in all T20s since the start of IPL 2023, only four batters have cleared the park more frequently: Dube's balls per six ratio is 7.23. He returned to the national side only recently after recovering from a back injury that had sidelined him since India's T20 World Cup win.

This T20I team, under head coach Gautam Gambhir, is big on left-right combinations, as assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said on match eve. But on Friday they ditched that tactic. Once Sanju Samson fell, Tilak Varma came and perished. Once Abhishek Sharma fell, India sent in Dube even though Rinku Singh was the other batter in the middle. Tactically, you could see why - the legspinner Rashid was just brought on and had struck with his second ball.

The move almost cost India as Dube failed to pick a wrong'un and edged one to slip where Jos Buttler couldn't hold on. Two balls later England and Buttler knew how big a missed chance that was as Dube deposited Rashid into the deep midwicket stands. In his first T20I after six months, he attacked England's premier - and only - spinner to take 25 off 11; the other India batters could score only 10 off the remaining 13 Rashid deliveries.

Dube was not as free-flowing against fast bowling, particularly the short and short-of-good-length deliveries, but did enough to not stall the scoring. He was softened up by Jofra Archer early with a 146.8kph bouncer. He quickly put that behind him to slash Brydon Carse past point and put away a couple of full tosses by the quicks. And then on the penultimate ball of the innings, he copped a blow to his helmet from a Jamie Overton bumper and suffered a concussion. But he had done his job - a 34-ball 53 that helped India post 181.

Even after Suryakumar Yadav became the third wicket to fall in two overs, there was no sign of Hardik Pandya. He was one of three right-handers in India's top eight on Friday. He walked in during the 11th over with India's score at 79 for 5 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, the same venue where his 2023 ODI World Cup campaign ended due to injury.

Hardik took his time even as Dube raced away. With five overs remaining, he was on 14 off 17. He channelled his inner MS Dhoni to take minimal risks while keeping the scoreboard ticking, even if that meant defending the last couple of balls of Rashid's spell. That speaks volumes of Hardik's self-confidence for the back-end of the innings because he was going against the high-intent template this Indian team now follows. He knew he could catch up.

It was like Hardik timed his assault perfectly. He sashayed down to Saqib Mahmood, who had begun his night with a triple-wicket maiden, to hit him over long-off before flat-batting one over deep midwicket for another maximum. He then went 6, 4 against Archer by lofting one over long-off and splitting long-off and deep cover. He also managed to put a high full toss from Overton away over short third before getting under a full ball and sending it soaring over the sight screen.

In his T20 career, Hardik has feasted on fast bowling and has demolished short and short-of-length balls. The hit-the-deck bowlers England had proved perfect fodder as he romped to a 27-ball half-century. In the three overs leading up to his dismissal, India managed to score 53. "Job done, boy!" Gambhir seemed to say as Hardik walked back.

At 12 for 3 and 57 for 4, India's T20I teams before 2024 would have chosen a more conservative path. Dube and Hardik's assault allowed India to take 82 in the middle overs and push England back. Dube took down spin, Hardik took down pace, and together they added 87 off just 45 balls, their second-highest sixth-wicket partnership in T20Is. It was also just the third time in T20Is that two batters scored fifties while batting at No. 6 or lower. It left England needing their best chase against India. They fell short by 15.

"We lost three wickets in the powerplay, credit to Hardik, the way he showed his experience tonight with bat in hand," India's bowling coach Morne Morkel said. "To get us to a score of 180 with Shivam as well, that partnership was crucial. It is also nice for him to get into the runs. He's been hitting the ball well in the nets, he has been training hard. As coaching and management staff, we simply know it is just a matter of time. In a crucial game for us tonight to step up - he's one of the senior players - it is great to see."