England captain Jos Buttler blamed their seven-wicket loss to India on the batting unit’s struggle against quality spin bowling.
India secured a resounding seven-wicket win over England in the opening T20 International at Eden Gardens on Wednesday. England, led by Jos Buttler, struggled to handle India’s spin attack and collapsed to 132 all out. Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, and Ravi Bishnoi dismantled England’s batting lineup, leaving them unable to post a competitive total. The hosts comfortably chased down the target in just 12.5 overs, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Skipper Jos Buttler admitted that his team failed to play the way they wanted against quality spin. Some players were facing India’s spinners for the first time, making it harder to adapt.
“Yeah, we just didn’t quite manage to impose the game that we wanted to play against them. They bowled well,” Buttler said at the post-match media interaction at Eden Gardens.
“A few guys were probably facing a few of those guys for the first time as well. It would be better for seeing them. You want to play better and put them under pressure and get a big score that we can defend,” he added.
Buttler then urged the players to develop individual strategies to counter India’s spin-heavy attack.
“They’re all really good players in the team, and we know they’re going to be hit by a lot of spin against India. I expect them always to play at least three spinners in the side. So it’s just (about) those individual plans and really committing to it to put the pressure back on them,” he said.
Jos Buttler Confident in Aggressive Approach Despite Defeat
Despite the seven-wicket loss in the first T20I, England is determined to stick with its aggressive playing style. This approach has defined their white-ball cricket success since 2015. Buttler stressed the importance of attacking both spin and seam bowling to put pressure on the opposition.
“We are always trying to be aggressive in T20 cricket. I think that’s been the way in English white-ball cricket ever since 2015, to be honest. The message has never really wavered from that. It’s down to individuals being able to play well and put guys under pressure and have options against spin as well as we’ve got against seam,” the skipper continued.
Notably, Jos Buttler stood out in England’s batting performance, scoring a well-made 68 off 44 balls. He credited his IPL experience for improving his game, particularly against spinners.
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“I have always quite enjoyed playing against spin. I think the main thing that happens in the IPL is just an abundance of bowlers and the time you can practice against them. I don’t think that (learning) ever stops, to be honest. I think Jimmy Anderson, at 42, is still talking about how he wants to learn and improve. I think at whatever age, that’s a constant thing,” Buttler added.
Looking ahead, the second T20I is in Chennai, a venue known for spin-friendly conditions. England must regroup quickly to avoid losing further ground in the series.
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Last Updated on January 23, 2025
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