The Jos Buttler-led England National Cricket Team faced off against the Rohit Sharma-led India National Cricket Team in the first ODI of the three-match series at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur, on Thursday, February 6.

Jos Buttler’s Team England were absolutely crushed in the ODI series opener by Team India and they faced a 4-wicket loss in the match.

Also Read: Watch: Shubman Gill’s double-hit disaster leads to shocking wicket as Jos Buttler takes a stunner

Yeah, obviously disappointed not to win the game – Jos Buttler

England started well in the match with Phil Salt and Ben Duckett playing attacking cricket, but after that, they lost back-to-back wickets. Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell, meanwhile, hit brilliant fifties to take England to a total of 248 runs. Defending the total, England once again started well but couldn’t capitalize on it and faced a defeat.

Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Jos Buttler expressed his disappointment over the loss and said that they need to improve. Buttler elaborated:

“Yeah, obviously disappointed not to win the game. I think we got to a great start but then lost four wickets in quick time. If we had 40-50 runs extra, the way the wicket played in the end, it could have been crucial.

“Yeah, this is not how we wanna play. We want to keep the pressure on the opposition. Keep the momentum going for as long as possible. It has been the same through the T20s and today.”

Credit to Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer – Jos Buttler

Jos Buttler added that the partnership between Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill took the game away from England. He stated:

“No, I think guys started well. We got them 30/2 today. Credit to Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer for putting on a fine partnership.”

Buttler added that they need to play better cricket for longer periods and get momentum on their side in the upcoming matches. He stated:

“Play better for longer, the things we are doing right, we want to do it for a bit longer. When we get the momentum, we have to extend that momentum for a bit longer.”

How Did England Perform In Their Previous ODI Outing?

England’s previous match in the ODI came against the West Indies at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados, on November 06, 2024. In that match, they faced a disappointing 8-wicket loss, allowing the West Indies to secure a 2-1 series victory.

After being put in to bat, England endured a nightmare start, collapsing to 24/4 by the end of the powerplay. Will Jacks, Jordan Cox, Jacob Bethell, and Liam Livingstone all fell cheaply within the first 10 overs, leaving England in a spot of bother.

Phil Salt, however, steadied the ship, with his 74-run knock, which was the highlight of the English innings, and he was supported by Dan Mousley, who made 57 runs. Salt was dismissed in the 41st over, followed by Mousley. However, lower-order showed resistance, including cameos from Jamie Overton (32 off 21) and Jofra Archer (38* off 17) as England posted 263/8 on the board.

In reply, England’s bowlers had little joy. Although they struck early with the dismissal of Evin Lewis, West Indies quickly recovered through a dominant partnership between Brandon King and Keacy Carty. King scored a fluent 102, while Carty finished with an unbeaten 128*, as they chased down the target with ease in just 43 overs.