It was clear to me they’re out of touch with 50-over cricket. The performance was riddled with careless mistakes and felt quite flat,” says Prior
Former England wicketkeeper Matt Prior has criticised the Jos Buttler-led England side as “sloppy” and “lacklustre” following their ODI series defeat to India in Cuttack. Prior emphasized the need for the team to sharpen up in several areas ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Electing to bat first at the Barabati Stadium on Sunday, England appeared set for a formidable total with Joe Root and Ben Duckett scoring 69 and 65 respectively. Liam Livingstone added a quick 41 to boost the total, but despite a strong foundation, England collapsed, losing their last seven wickets for just 85 runs, finishing at 304 in 49.5 overs—well below what seemed achievable earlier in the innings.
Though crossing the 300-run mark, England’s total proved insufficient as India chased down 305 with remarkable ease. Captain Rohit Sharma led the charge with a masterful 119, his 32nd ODI century, steering India to victory with 33 balls to spare.
This defeat follows England’s earlier 1-4 loss in the T20I series against India. They now face the risk of a series sweep if India wins the final ODI, a dead rubber, scheduled at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
“For me, you could tell they haven’t played 50-over cricket for a long time. There were just sloppy mistakes. It was just a bit lacklustre,” said Prior on TNT Sport. “For England, the talent is there, the ability is there, but they just need to sharpen up in a number of areas. We know how talented the squad is and the team is, but you’ve got to go out and execute your plans on the field.”
Adding to the critique, former England fast bowler Steven Finn highlighted India’s ability to capitalise on crucial moments, which helped them clinch the ODI series with a game to spare. “If India see a chink in your armour, especially bringing all their big guns back in, they are going to take advantage of it,” Finn remarked.
“England did have them on the ropes in that first nine overs, but a sign of a good team is one that does exactly what India did. In a couple of crucial moments where they needed to seize their opportunities, they did just that, pushing through the door and securing the win.”
As England reflects on their performance, they will aim to address these shortcomings before the Champions Trophy, striving to rediscover the sharpness and execution needed to compete at the highest level.
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