In Sunday’s second ODI of the three-match series at Cuttack’s Barabati Stadium, England captain Jos Buttler chose to bat first after winning the toss against India.
At the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, England defeated India by 304 all-out despite Ravindra Jadeja taking 3 for 35 in his allotted 10 overs. Joe Root (69 off 72) helped the visitors maintain control in the middle overs, while Ben Duckett (65 off 56) gave England a strong start by joining Phil Salt for the first wicket at 81. England reached over 300 thanks to a quick cameo from Liam Livingstone (41 off 32). With Virat Kohli and Varun Chakravarthy replacing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Kuldeep Yadav, India is making two changes to their lineup.
Jos Buttler wicket today
Gill took another blinder to send Jos Buttler reeling, showcasing his outstanding fielding skills. Buttler attempted to clear the mid-on on the fourth ball of the 39th over, but he misjudged the timing, and Gill lunged forward to make a spectacular catch and put India back in the hunt.
An encouraging exchange between the England captain and Joe Root was ended by an all-rounder from India dismissing Jos Buttler for 34. Although Hardik’s breakthrough is expected to boost India’s spirits, Root, who is past his prime, would be happy to score three figures.
England must “sharpen up”
Both Joe Root and Buttler, who have been playing 50-over international cricket since 2023, lost in England’s first ODI since a series loss to the West Indies in November.
Buttler’s side now have two more matches to improve ahead of this month’s Champions Trophy, live on Sky Sports, with Australia, South Africa, and Afghanistan in their group for the eight-team tournament.
Matt Prior, a former cricket player for England, told TNT Sports, “The tools are all there.” “You must go out and carry out your plans on the field, even though we are aware of the squad’s and the team’s talent.
“I thought it was obvious they had not played 50-over cricket in a while. It was a little lackluster and contained careless errors. The talent and ability are there for England; they need to improve in a few areas.
Steven Finn, a former bowler for England who was also featured on TNT Sports, continued: “India will exploit any weakness you have, especially if they bring all of their big guns back in.
“A strong team does what India did, even though they were on the ropes for the first nine overs against England. They took advantage of the few pivotal moments in the game where they needed to rush through the door.
