September 23, 2025
The recently concluded England vs Ireland T20I series presents plenty of lessons for both teams. When the series started, everyone thought that it could be an easy walk for the English team. Many people forgot that plenty of Irish players are also part of the English domestic setup. Though the Irish team lost the series, they played tremendously well to remind everyone how far the Ireland team has come.
England came into the T20s with a new captain. Jacob Bethell was given the charge of the team to explore his capabilities as a leader. This was a good initiative from the ECB, as they are keen to groom the youngsters to take the England captaincy call sooner or later. The board has moved on from Jos Buttler, as now they want him to play purely as a destructive batter. It was a fair call because Jos also wanted that.
Harry Brook was not in charge for this tour. The board decided to give him some rest until the home season arrives. They picked Jacob Bethell to lead the England side, as he has demonstrated strong leadership skills throughout his time with the national team. The young Bethell was excited to take the role, however, he had no idea that the series would be filled with dozens of tough lessons.
The first T20I between England and Ireland showcased the fact that Ireland are no pushovers in the game anymore. The batting firepower shown by the Irish team in Dublin was splendid. Though England won the match in the end, they found the middle phase of the game quite tough. This gave Bethell an early lesson about international cricket, as he understood the dangers of underestimation pretty well.
The T20I series against Ireland brought various lessons for England. First of all, they acknowledged the fact that Buttler is still the best candidate for England to open the innings. The 35-year old batter was seen at his best during the Ireland series. This was a confidence booster for England, as now they can lock the Buttler-Salt combination for opening in T20Is.
Another lesson England learned during the Ireland series was the weakness in their bowling attack. In the first T20I, England's bowlers were taken to the cleaners. Ireland batters hit them furiously in the 1st innings, taking the score to 196. This was an early lesson for England that they need quick fixes in bowling. The need to find answers before the 2026 T20 World Cup, otherwise, their campaign will once again fail like it did in 2024.
The T20I series against England brought plenty of positives for Ireland. They saw the depth in their batting, as how well it can perform under pressure. The first T20I was specifically a belter, as it produced many good performances with the bat. Ireland will try to further increase their batting aggression, as it is their main weapon to overpower opponents.
The problem with bowling is still, however, the biggest concern for the Irish team. They need to find bowlers who can win matches in crunch situations. Unfortunately, there are not many names available in clear sight, hence Ireland would be looking to find some more talent to fix this department.
The series between England and Ireland proved to be a thriller in the end. It brought lessons for both teams, particularly in the bowling department. England will now look to correct these mistakes in the upcoming T20I matches, while Ireland will try to find some more talent. Overall, it was a good series that allowed both teams to play some fascinating T20 cricket alongside learning some key loopholes in their game.