India have levelled their T20 series with England at 1-1 following a comfortable seven-wicket win in Ahmedabad.
The tourists could only manage a below par 164-6, which the Indians chased down in just under 18 overs.
A superb debut knock of 56 from debutant Ishant Kishan and 73 not out from Virat Kohli saw the hosts home.
England made just the one change from Friday, an enforced one, as Tom Curran replaced Mark Wood who struggled with an injury following the game.
India had two debutants starting, as Kishan replaced Shikhar Dhawan and Surakiart Yadav came in for Axar Patel.
India won the toss this time around and put England into bat first.
England’s innings gets off to a terrible start
Things could not have started worse for Jos Buttler and England as he was dismissed for a golden duck. Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s wicked delivery confused Buttler and struck him on the pads. The Lancashire batsmen opted not to review the decision, and walked straight off.
Jason Roy and Dawid Malan then got England’s innings fully underway and were looking strong before a massive moment in which Malan, the world’s No 1-ranked T20, was dismissed for lbw.
Malan was initially given not out on the field but India captain Kohli reviewed the decision. It would turn out to be an excellent review as three reds showed up on DRS meaning Malan had to walk.
At the halfway mark of England’s innings they were 83-2 and, with plenty of power hitting to come, knew they were still in a strong position.
Roy was to fall just short of a half-century yet again, as he tried to hit Washington Sundar for six but could only pick out Kumar.
England were 91-3 and signs that they were starting to falter were beginning to creep in.
Despite this; Jonny Bairstow and captain Eoin Morgan began to accelerate as got England to 119-3 before Bairstow was dismissed in an almost identical fashion to Roy, picking out Yadav.
After some shoddy fielding India began to frustrate England, by restricting them to minimal boundaries, before Morgan was dismissed in an unfortunate manner.
The England captain’s shot came off the edge of the bat and sent high in the air, giving Rishabh Pant a simple catch.
Ben Stokes soon followed when attempting to get a boundary he could only pick out Hardik Pandya.
England’s innings ended with some respectability as Sam Curran picked out the boundary to get a four to end the tourists’ 20 overs on 164-6.
India’s innings matches England’s poor start
England knew they needed to take early wickets, and they got off to the perfect start when KL Rahal nicked behind to Buttler with the final ball of the first over.
However, from that point onwards India motored and never looked in danger.
Virat Kohli and Ishan Kishan lead the hosts’ charge
Kohli and Kishan put together a partnership of 94 to rescue the hosts from a dismal start.
Kishan was also dropped by Stokes on 40 and the former made him pay with back-to-back sixes to fire him to a superb debut half-century.
Kishan’s innings ended with Adil Rashid getting him lbw to end a superb debut knock.
India were on the brink of levelling the series but not before Chris Jordan picked up the wicket of Pant, who skied one straight to Bairstow.
Despite this, India were never really in bother and Kohli won the match in style with a superb six to secure a routine seven-wicket win.
Kishan was awarded man of the match for his superb debut knock while Kohli became the first male cricketer to score 3000 runs in T20s.
The third T20 of the five-match series begins on Tuesday at 1:30pm, live on Sky Sports Cricket.
By Josh Mann
