England closed out a challenging white-ball tour in India with a disappointing 3-0 series loss in the one-day internationals, raising significant concerns for Ben Duckett’s readiness ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Towards the end of India’s innings, which had them all out at 356, Duckett strained his groin. England, having already patched up their lineup with Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, and Jamie Overton sidelined due to minor injuries, struggled through the intense heat. Although Duckett managed a spirited 34 runs off just 22 balls, ending up watching England fall for 214 runs in 34.2 overs and lose by 142 runs, his noticeable limp is worrisome.
Jos Buttler’s team will kick off their Champions Trophy campaign against Australia on February 22, fresh off a heavy defeat in Ahmedabad. This marks their seventh loss out of eight matches on what has been a tough tour. Ravi Shastri and Kevin Pietersen, commentating on the match, questioned England’s work ethic as they succumbed to their 16th loss out of their last 23 ODIs. The grueling schedule, with matches every few days and continuous travel, hasn’t left much room for practice or improvement.
Duckett and Phil Salt gave England a quick start, amassing 60 runs in just over six overs, but the team once again faltered after the powerplay, stifled by spin. Tom Banton, making his England comeback since January 2022, was the joint top-scorer with 38 off 41 balls.
Looking at India’s innings, at one point, they seemed set to breach the 400-run mark, courtesy of Shubman Gill’s elegant 112 off 102 deliveries. He forged noteworthy partnerships, adding 116 runs with Virat Kohli, who made 52, and 104 runs with Shreyas Iyer, who scored 78. Adil Rashid, claiming four wickets while conceding 64 runs, managed to slow India down from 226 for two. Meanwhile, Mark Wood impressed with the ball despite needing a brief respite due to exhaustion in the searing heat after England elected to bowl first.
Wood started brilliantly, his first ball clipping Rohit Sharma’s edge, and narrowly missing Kohli’s with his second. However, maintaining pace proved exhausting, leading to a brief departure from the field after an intense spell.
Joe Root was taken off after a couple of costly overs, which allowed Gill, who was consistently aggressive and nimble-footed, to punish Gus Atkinson with a massive straight six. Liam Livingstone faced harsh treatment as both Gill and Iyer unleashed sixes. Rashid eventually dismissed Kohli for the fifth time in ODIs, snaring an edge caught by Salt off a big leg-break.
Despite losing Kohli, Iyer and Gill continued India’s charge, with Gill reaching his century by elegantly driving Wood through midwicket. While one of the few players to have struck a double century in ODIs, Gill missed an extravagant swipe off Rashid’s bowling and was bowled. Rashid continued to shift the momentum by dismissing Iyer, and although KL Rahul’s brisk 40 helped India cruise past 350, frequent wickets fell towards the end.
In England’s chase, Duckett appeared in discomfort, struggling more as his innings progressed, yet managed to hit eight boundaries before being caught by Arshdeep Singh’s slower ball.
Salt, like Duckett, fell to Arshdeep’s variations. Banton, who was confirmed as an injury replacement for Jacob Bethell in the Champions Trophy squad by the ICC, had a lively game in his first 50-over match since 2020. He showcased some innovative shots with a switch hit and reverse sweep for sixes but was eventually caught by Rahul off Kuldeep Yadav’s well-crafted delivery.
Root and Buttler, having been moved lower in the batting order, were clean-bowled by Axar Patel and Harshit Rana, respectively. When Harry Brook also under-edged Rana onto his stumps, England’s chances waned drastically, leaving Gus Atkinson’s combative 38 off 19 balls as the sole spark in staving off a heavier defeat. Atkinson stood out, hammering six fours and a six before being the last batsman dismissed.
