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'We Needed Someone To Kick On...': Jos Buttler Blames Batters For Losing Cuttack ODI

Soumyajit Dutta

Jos Buttler opens up after Cuttack ODI loss [Source: AP]Jos Buttler opens up after Cuttack ODI loss [Source: AP]

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India clinched a 2-0 series victory over England in a thrilling second ODI at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, powered by a spectacular innings from Rohit Sharma. Chasing a target of 305, India surged ahead after Sharma played a stunning 119 off 90 balls, setting the tone for a memorable win with key contributions from Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and Axar Patel.

England, having won the toss and elected to bat first, posted a competitive total. Joe Root scored 69 off 72 balls, while Ben Duckett contributed 65 off 56. Liam Livingstone, Jos Buttler, and Harry Brook helped the side cross the 300-run mark. However, the absence of a decisive, match-turning knock proved costly, as per the English skipper.

Jos Buttler Opens Up On England's Batting Woes

While all of the English batters contributed decently with the bat, it seemed Jos Buttler was not happy with the total they posted for India to chase.

“We got into some nice positions with the bat but we needed a few of us to catch fire and push us to 350. Maybe that would have been defendable,” Buttler admitted in the post-match presentation.

Though England has lost the ODI series after a humiliating 4-1 defeat in the T20I series against India, Buttler remains optimistic and hopes to bounce back in the final ODI at Ahmedabad.

“We played the powerplay brilliantly, but we needed someone to kick on. Just keep taking steps in the right direction, though results are not there, we need to keep going and be positive,” Buttler said.

Rohit Sharma Thrashes England's Hopes 

As India began their chase, Rohit Sharma emerged as the star. His explosive innings, featuring 12 fours and seven sixes, kept the pressure on England's bowlers from the outset. Shubman Gill provided solid support with a fluent 60 off 52, while Axar Patel's composed 41 ensured India maintained control of the game, ultimately chasing the target with 5.3 overs remaining.

Though Buttler's blame game was limited to the batting camp, the bowling unit of the Englishmen is to be questioned. On the bowling front, England struggled to contain India's batting assault. 

Jamie Overton led the efforts with two wickets. However, the overall bowling performance lacked consistency, with Adil Rashid leaking the most runs in his 10 overs. Nevertheless, with the series now lost, pressure mounts on England's ODI side as they face India on February 12 for the final ODI.