Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has described India’s run of four straight T20I defeats as a temporary dip in form, backing the side to rebound quickly because of the quality available in the squad. Ganguly’s comments come after India’s heavy 125-run loss to England at Trent Bridge, where they were bowled out for just 76 while chasing 202 in their biggest defeat by runs in T20I history.

The result left Shreyas Iyer’s side 0-2 down in the five-match series and still searching for a first win under his leadership. Iyer, who took over as India’s T20I captain ahead of the UK tour, has already seen his team lose a 2-0 series in Ireland before slipping into another 0-2 hole against England.

Speaking to the media in Kolkata, Ganguly said he was surprised by India’s recent results but did not believe the poor run reflected a deeper issue. He stressed that strong teams often go through difficult phases before finding their rhythm again.

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“I am a bit surprised by India’s performances. They have been such a strong white-ball side and this appears to be a temporary dip in form. They haven’t looked at their best, but India have plenty of quality players and I am sure they will bounce back,” Sourav Ganguly said.

He added that India’s immediate task is simple: level the series and reset their momentum. According to Ganguly, even the best teams face setbacks, but what matters most is how quickly they respond. “Their only option now is to level the series. Every good team goes through difficult phases and finds a way to recover,” he said.

The former captain also declined to comment on the selection debate surrounding Sanju Samson’s omission from the second T20I, when teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was brought in at the top of the order under Gautam Gambhir’s management.

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“That is a call for the team management to make. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to comment on it,” Sourav Ganguly said. Sooryavanshi has not yet managed to outshine the rest of the batting line-up, but with India trailing 0-2, Gambhir has kept the door open for Samson’s return to the playing XI as the series heads into its next crucial phase.