England captain Jos Buttler praised Abhishek Sharma’s incredible batting after the Indian batter played a record-breaking innings of 135 runs from just 54 balls. However, Buttler made it clear that England will not change their aggressive approach, even after a crushing 150-run loss at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
Abhishek’s explosive knock, the highest T20I score by an Indian batter, proved to be too much for England, who were bowled out for just 97 runs in 10.3 overs. This loss sealed a 4-1 series defeat for England, making it their biggest-ever loss in T20Is.
Speaking after the match, Buttler acknowledged that his team had opportunities in the series but credited Abhishek for his outstanding performance.
"I've played a lot of cricket, and that was some of the cleanest ball-striking I’ve ever seen," Buttler said. "We always analyze what we could have done better, but sometimes, you just have to appreciate the opposition’s brilliance."
Abhishek’s performance reflected the same aggressive form he displayed in the IPL alongside Travis Head for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Buttler admitted that in high-scoring games like this, teams either come close or collapse completely, and unfortunately for England, the latter happened.
England started their chase strongly, with Phil Salt smashing 17 runs in the first over and reaching a quickfire fifty off 21 balls. However, wickets kept falling at the other end, leading to a complete batting collapse.
Buttler remained firm on his team’s approach, stating, "Phil showed how good the pitch was, but he needed support. In games like this, either a few players step up, or you struggle. But we won’t change our style of play. We must stay committed and back ourselves even more."
The match took place just two days after a controversy in Pune, where Indian fast bowler Harshit Rana replaced Shivam Dube as a concussion substitute.
Dube, despite ICC’s seven-day rest protocol, played in Mumbai and contributed with 30 runs and two wickets. Buttler, though initially critical, later said he hoped Dube had recovered well and that medical staff had made the right decision.
Another key player in England’s downfall was Indian leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who took two wickets for 25 runs and finished the series with 14 wickets at an average of 9.85, earning him the Player of the Series award.
England’s struggle against spin was a major issue throughout the series, but Buttler remained optimistic. "We knew spin would be a big challenge against India, but I’m not worried. Many of our players are experiencing these conditions for the first time, and every match helps them learn and improve."
Despite the heavy defeat, Buttler insisted that England will stick to their attacking style, believing that long-term success comes from staying proactive. "If we lose, I’d rather we lose playing positively. Over time, we’ll get better at executing our plans."
England now looks ahead, hoping to bounce back stronger in future matches while keeping their fearless approach intact.
Updated on 03 February, 2025 by MyFortune11 Team.