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England rage at Joe Root dismissal in defeat

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NAGPUR: An agonisingly close thing for England, but at the climax the defining emotion was not disappointment, but anger. Anger at themselves for failing to close out what had seemed like an impregnable winning position, but also anger at the twists of fate that had sent them to defeat.

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Most of all, England were angry at umpire Chettithody Shamshuddin. His decision to give Joe Root out lbw at the start of the final over proved to be the pivotal moment of the match. Replays showed that not only was the ball heading down the leg side, but Root had got a thick edge on it as it thudded into his thigh pad.

As the final balls of the innings dribbled away in a flurry of mistimed shots, England's frustration bubbled over. Shamshuddin had a poor game overall, denying England a couple of plumb lbws when they bowled, and coach Trevor Bayliss and assistant coach Paul Farbrace both confronted him as he left the field. Captain Eoin Morgan continued the broadside in his post-match press conference.

"There is extreme frustration, absolutely," he said. "Losing a batsman who's faced 40 balls, on a wicket where it's not that easy to time it, is quite a hammer blow. It's proved very costly.

"It's part and parcel of the job to be able to cope with the pressure and make good decisions more often than not," Morgan added. "A couple of decisions didn't go our way, and we still should have won the game. That we didn't is disappointing."

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In a way, there was something curiously retro about it all: a game in Asia becoming embroiled in an umpiring controversy. But it is ironic that Twenty20, the game's richest and most popular format, is the only one in which the decision review system is not used to correct umpiring mistakes.

That, said Morgan, had to change. "There is as much on the line as there is in a Test or a one-day match," he insisted. "If this was a World Cup game, we'd be spewing. So there is no reason why it shouldn't be used. The fact it's not, is a concern."

India's win levelled the series at 1-1, setting up a tantalising showdown in Bangalore on Wednesday. England intend to offer more formal remarks about Shamshuddin's performance in their post-match report to the International Cricket Council, but they will need to move on quickly. For it was not just bad umpiring that undid them here, but poor batting.

Chasing 145 on a low, turning pitch, England flagged, faltered and then finally faded. They were -undone at the last by a world-class exhibition of death bowling from Jasprit Bumrah, who despite being given the 18th and 20th overs, conceded just five runs from them. -Using the dull lifelessness of the surface, Bumrah's confection of slower balls and non-bouncing bouncers utterly flummoxed England. Dodgy lbw or no dodgy lbw, Bumrah's was a performance worthy of winning any game.

Ultimately, you feel, England will be able to file this away as just a bad day at the office. India were probably fortunate to get as many as 144, even as the tourists put the squeeze on at the end of the innings. Chris Jordan and Moeen Ali were especially good; Tymal Mills looked a little down on his usual breakneck pace, but redeemed himself well at the end. Liam Dawson, thrown into the side and handed the new ball, caused few problems in his two overs, and it would be a surprise if he is seen again in Bangalore.

England were one brisk start away from sealing the series, but after helping themselves to a six each off the leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, openers Jason Roy and Sam Billings both perished in successive balls to Ashish Nehra, misjudging the pace of the pitch and offering easy lofted catches into the leg-side.

Root played a very Joe Root -innings, the sort where he gets to 20 seemingly without anyone -noticing. He was joined by Ben Stokes, who survived a torrid start against the spinners to make 38 off 27 balls, negotiating the unpredictable bounce by resolving to hit the ball straight and very hard.

It beat his meagre career best of 31, set almost six years ago, and was another sign that Stokes is belatedly finding his way in the shortest -format.

But his dismissal to leave England 117 for four threatened to make things tight again. Jos Buttler took a four and a six off the penultimate over from Nehra to edge England within sight of victory, but Root's dismissal drained the colour from them.

Bumrah's fourth ball of the final over was just back of a length, skidded low off the surface and shattered Buttler's stumps, and in retrospect that was the point at which England probably realised the game was up.

Six runs were required off the last ball. Moeen took a half-shuffle back to give himself room, but the ball was a wide full toss, outside his hitting arc. As Moeen tried desperately to get his weight across again, his desperate swing met only fresh air.

Nagpur erupted. Moeen leaned sadly on his bat. On the boundary edge, England's coaching staff were already mobilising, but really there was nothing more to be done. To Bangalore, and after this you can guarantee England will be travelling south with fire in their bellies. A pity they could not have summoned a little more fire when it was required here.

The London Telegraph