Jos Buttler Admits England Batters Must Step Up to Reach 350 in 2nd ODI
England Batters Fall Short in Push for 350
After suffering their fourth consecutive ODI series defeat with a four-wicket loss to India at the Barabati Stadium on Sunday, England skipper Jos Buttler admitted that they could have reached 350 in their batting innings if some batters had spent more time at the crease. Electing to bat first on a black soil pitch, Joe Root and Ben Duckett smashed 69 and 65 respectively while Liam Livingstone applied finishing touches with his 41 as England posted a mammoth 304 in 49.5 overs but they lost their last seven wickets for 85 runs, after being primed to make 330 at one point.
Missed Opportunities and the Path to Improvement
Though England batted for longer periods and got past 300, it wasn’t enough for them to stop India from winning the game, with captain Rohit Sharma’s masterly 32nd ODI century leading their charge to chase down 305 with 33 balls to spare. Buttler acknowledged the missed opportunities in the match, stating, “I thought we did a lot of things well, and we got into some nice positions with the bat, but we need a few of us to catch fire and push us to 350.”
Building on Progress Despite Setbacks
Buttler emphasized the importance of continuing to make progress and learn from their mistakes, even in the face of disappointing results. He mentioned, “Just keep taking steps in the right direction though results are not there but we need to keep going.” The team will look to address their batting shortcomings and work towards achieving higher scores in future matches.
India’s Dominance and Player Perspective
India vice-captain Shubman Gill, who made 60 and shared an opening stand of 136 off 100 balls with Rohit, shared his perspective on the match. He expressed his enjoyment of batting alongside Rohit and praised his captain’s skill and dominance on the field. Gill highlighted the importance of playing according to the ball and seizing opportunities to dominate the bowlers.
Looking Ahead to the Final ODI
The final ODI between India and England will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. Both teams will aim to make improvements based on their performances in the previous matches and come out stronger in the final showdown. Fans can expect an exciting clash as the two teams battle it out for victory in the series.
In conclusion, while England fell short of their target score in the second ODI against India, they have the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and make adjustments for the upcoming matches. With a focus on building on their progress and pushing for higher scores, the team will look to bounce back and put up a strong performance in the final ODI.