England to complain after umpire blunder

England will complain about umpire Chettithody Shamshuddin to the match referee after the Indian official dismissed Joe Root for lbw off an inside edge in the series-levelling Twenty20 defeat in Nagpur.

Shamshuddin was not originally listed to stand in the match, as per the ICC's schedule, but found himself in the eye of the storm when he gave an incredulous Root out with just eight runs needed from the final over.

Earlier in the game, the 46-year-old had raised eyebrows by giving Virat Kohli not out to a clear lbw.

Root was visibly annoyed at his dismissal and assistant coach Paul Farbrace appeared to share a couple of choice words with the official when the sides shook hands following a dramatic finish, which set up a winner-takes-all shootout in Bangalore on Wednesday.

The mood in the away dressing room would have been considerably better had they managed to get over the line without Root but Jasprit Bumrah closed out an engrossing match in style with some magnificent death bowling.

Controversy aside, Bumrah's final over (his last six balls read W 1 . W 1 .) when England needed just eight runs was sensational in guiding the hosts to victory.

Image Id: 37E76DD4CD25435EAA72B21C82A3E7C1 Image Caption: Bumrah appeals for the match-turning wicket of Joe Root // sportzpics

England captain Eoin Morgan, bristling in the post-match conference, said of Root's departure: "There is extreme frustration, absolutely.

"It shifted momentum, first ball of the 20th over. Losing a batsman who's faced 40 balls on a wicket that's not that easy to time it on is quite a bit of a hammer blow. It's proved very costly all things considered," he said.

Asked if England would take their observations to the International Cricket Council, or match referee Andy Pycroft, Morgan replied:

"Absolutely. We have an opportunity to do before the next game.

"It's part and parcel of the job, to be able to cope with the pressure and make good decisions more often than not.

"The fact that comes out of today's game as a highlight is disappointing, it shouldn't be like that. It should be a good performance by both teams and a really competitive game.

"But we will draw a line under it tonight and move on to think about what we may come up against in Bangalore."

One thing they know they will not be seeing in the Garden City is the DRS referral system. While it is now widely used in Tests and one-day internationals, the ICC have resisted the temptation to offer teams any reviews in the shortest form.

The feeling is that it would slow down a format that is built around its brevity but Morgan believes it is time to revisit that verdict.

"The fact it's not used is a concern," he said.

"There is as much on the line as there is in a Test or a one-day match, so no reason why it shouldn't be used."

Meanwhile, India skipper Kohli lavished praise on his fast bowlers after Bumrah claimed two wickets and gave away just two runs off the final over of the match with England needing just eight runs to win.

After removing Root, Bumrah (2-20), who was named the man of the match, bowled Jos Buttler (15) on the fourth delivery and never allowed Chris Jordan and Moeen Ali to score the remaining runs on the final two balls.

"The way the bowlers responded. The way the spinners bowled in the middle phase and these two guys Bumrah and Ashish Nehra were outstanding," Kohli said in the post-match presentation.

"It's important to have that belief...to defend 46-45 overs in the last five overs with dew, when it's difficult to grip the ball, I think is an outstanding effort," he added.

Earlier Lokesh Rahul hit a 47-ball 71 to help India post 8-144, a total which proved competitive, despite England seamer Chris Jordan's three wickets after the visitors elected to field first.

Kohli, who opened the innings for the second successive time in the series, made a quickfire 21 before falling to Jordan.

Rahul kept his composure and his end busy with runs despite England spinners, Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali, getting a wicket each to reduce the hosts to 69 for three.

Rahul, who hit six fours and four sixes during his knock, got to his fifty and more before Jordan got the prized wicket in the 18th over as the Indian batting slipped further.

"We bowled really well to back up our previous performance with the ball. These last two games we have been right on the money. All credit to the bowlers," said Morgan.

The third and deciding match is slated in Bangalore on February 1.

- with AFP