'We are underachieving in foreign conditions' - Ryan ten Doeschate after India's loss in fourth T20I

India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has reiterated the need for his team to be more adaptable after their nine-wicket loss to England in Bristol in the fourth T20I on Thursday, July 09.

Shreyas Iyer's men were restricted to a total of 158 for 7 after electing to bat, which the hosts chased down in just 13.5 overs. Captain Harry Brook scored an unbeaten 35-ball 79, taking the attack to the Indian bowlers. Ten Doeschate stated that the team needs to be more adaptable to the conditions on the ground and focus on the finer details after their series-defining loss.

“We’ve spoken so much about adaptability, but I think it’s got to the point now where you actually have to unpack that suitcase. It’s easy to say we need to adapt. Every coach from under-nine cricket upwards talks about adaptability. But I think it’s got to the point where we actually have to unpack what that means and understand the process that’s needed," ten Doeschate said in the post-match press conference, as per Indian Express.

The Indian batters have struggled with the extra bounce on the surfaces in the United Kingdom, which has been exploited brilliantly by England's bowling pair of Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue. The coach acknowledged the need to make adjustments to the way they approach games on wickets that offer help to bowlers and to improve their game in foreign conditions.

“I think Jofra (Archer) and Tongue bowled exceptionally well. We haven’t made an adjustment. As much as we’ve spoken about it, as much as we’ve spoken about the need to evolve and what works in India won’t necessarily work here, we just haven’t quite managed to shift from that mindset that we’ll be really strong on really good wickets. The little adjustments needed to play on wickets that have all been slightly slower and had a little bit of bounce, we just haven’t made them," ten Doeschate said.

“We’ve challenged the group to accept the fact that we are underachieving in foreign conditions. The big prize is two years down the line in Australia. Do we want to be a team that smashes 250 in India and looks great hitting 80-metre sixes at Eden Gardens? Or do we want to be a team that excels in different conditions," he added.

The fifth T20I will be played in Southampton on Saturday, July 11. India are 3-0 down in the series, losing all games after the washout at Chester-le-Street in the first T20I.