Bazball or not, Buttler-led England not up to scratch

Ben Duckett does not care if England lose the ODI series to India 3-0 as long as they win the Champions Trophy.

- Rasesh Mandani

AHMEDABAD: Ben Duckett does not care if England lose the ODI series to India 3-0 as long as they win the Champions Trophy. "No one will probably look back on this series if we go and do the business in that competition," he said after his team went down 0-2 following the defeat in Cuttack.

It is fine in theory, but much harder to put into practice. England has thrown away flying starts in the series, had no reply to Ravindra Jadeja's spin, and looked listless with the ball.

England's extreme pace has been hit back by Indian batters while Shreyas Iyer has come prepared with answers to the short ball. Except for Adil Rashid's spin, the visitors haven't challenged India.

England appear to have lost the winning habit in their over-drive to entertain. After their disastrous 2023 ODI World Cup campaign, they have lost home and away to West Indies and Australia, and have already ceded the trophy to India before Wednesday's final ODI here.