2nd ODI: Jos Buttler acknowledges England batters needed to aim for 350
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Synopsis
Cuttack, Feb 9 (NationPress) After their fourth straight ODI series loss to India, England's captain Jos Buttler reflected on their missed opportunity to reach 350 runs, emphasizing the need for batters to capitalize on their innings.
Key Takeaways
- England's captain Jos Buttler admitted they could have scored 350 runs.
- Joe Root and Ben Duckett led the innings with significant contributions.
- India's Rohit Sharma was instrumental in chasing down the target.
- England lost their last seven wickets for just 85 runs.
- The final ODI will be held at Narendra Modi Stadium.
Cuttack, Feb 9 (NationPress) Following their fourth consecutive ODI series defeat with a four-wicket loss to India at the Barabati Stadium on Sunday, England captain Jos Buttler conceded that they could have reached 350 in their innings had some batters spent more time at the crease.
Choosing to bat first on a black soil pitch, Joe Root and Ben Duckett hit 69 and 65 runs respectively, while Liam Livingstone contributed with a notable 41. England finished with a commendable 304 runs in 49.5 overs, yet they lost their last seven wickets for just 85 runs after appearing set to reach 330.
Despite surpassing the 300 mark, it wasn’t sufficient to impede India’s victory, led by Rohit Sharma, who scored his 32nd ODI century, enabling the team to chase down 305 runs with 33 balls to spare.
“I believe we executed many aspects effectively and found ourselves in promising positions with the bat, but we need a few players to ignite and propel us to 350. Another remarkable innings from Rohit; he has been performing impressively in ODI cricket for a considerable time. Perhaps the pitch skidded on a bit and played well, but the opposing team did well too. We aimed for 330-350, which might have been defendable. We must continue to progress in the right direction, even though results aren’t in our favor,” Buttler stated during the post-match presentation.
India’s vice-captain Shubman Gill, who scored 60 runs and opened the innings with Rohit, reflected on enjoying his time at the crease. “I felt confident batting out there, especially alongside Rohit bhai, who makes it seem effortless. His approach to the bowlers has been evident over the past few years, and watching him dominate today was a pleasure. The pitch was good for batting, with only the occasional ball keeping a bit low. The strategy was straightforward: play according to the ball and dominate when possible,” he remarked. The final ODI between India and England is scheduled for Wednesday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
