Jos Buttler rues loss of momentum after Phil Salt run-out as England sunk again

Jos Buttler lamented Phil Salt’s run-out as a sliding doors moment for England as familiar failings surfaced in their defeat to India, who drew first blood in the ODI series in Nagpur.

Salt crashed 43 off 26 balls, including 26 off one Harshit Rana over, to propel England to 75 without loss in the powerplay but he was dismissed after a mishap between the wickets with Ben Duckett.

In the next over, Rana dismissed Duckett for 32 and Harry Brook for a three-ball duck to leave England 77 for three before they stumbled to 248 all out after patient fifties from Buttler and Jacob Bethell.

After India overcome a late wobble to seal a four-wicket win, Buttler admitted England being unable to seize the initiative for long enough has been a constant theme on the tour, having lost the T20 series 4-1.

“Salt and Duckett came out and played brilliantly in that powerplay, they put the opposition under a lot of pressure,” the England captain said.

“We really had the momentum at that point and absolutely once we’ve got it, we need to continue to keep putting the opposition under pressure for longer.

“I think that’s been the story for us so far – how can we keep that momentum going for a bit longer when we’ve got it? And when we’ve got it, hold on to it.

“We were probably another 40 or 50 runs (short) on that total – with the way the wicket was turning at the end, we would have been in a good position to try to win the game.”

Joe Root made 19 in his first ODI since the 2023 World Cup before he was lbw after his defences were breached by a fizzing delivery from wily slow left-armer Ravindra Jadeja.

England did not have to contend with mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, the player of the T20 series, as India brought back their big guns – with Virat Kohli absent because of a right knee injury – but Jadeja was a constant menace to finish with outstanding figures of 9-1-26-3.

As well as snaring Root, Jadeja dismissed Bethell but only after the 21-year-old gave another reminder of why he is so highly-rated, showing the composure and self-restraint that some of his team-mates did not.

While Buttler (52 off 67 balls) steadily ticked over, Bethell initially struggled to pierce the gaps and was eight off 27 deliveries at one point before whipping Hardik Pandya for six then finding some rhythm with conventional and reverse sweeps.

He got to 51 off 64 deliveries before missing a slog sweep and given lbw on review off Jadeja, who then castled Adil Rashid, but Buttler was impressed by what he had witnessed from Bethell.

“I was watching him bat and saying ‘I couldn’t remember how to bat at 21’,” Buttler said. “It took me till I was about 28, I think! I’m really pleased for him.

“He didn’t find it easy at the start but he was very mature, measured, soaked up some pressure and came through it. He’ll learn a lot from this, it’s a really good experience.”

India slipped to 19 for two – with captain Rohit Sharma out for two as his lean patch continued – but Shubman Gill anchored the chase with 87 off 96 balls, putting on a game-changing 94 off only 64 deliveries with Shreyas Iyer.

Iyer contributed 59 off 36 balls and Axar Patel 52 off 47 deliveries in a 108-run union with Gill but Rashid took two quick wickets and Saqib Mahmood one as India slipped from 221 for three to 235 for six.

India ultimately crept rather than cruised over the line with 11.2 overs to spare in Brendon McCullum’s first ODI as England’s all-format head coach, with their preparations for the Champions Trophy starting in underwhelming fashion.

Buttler, though, was pleased by the never-say-die spirit from his bowlers.

“Whatever score you get, you’ve got to try to believe it’s enough, make things happen and try to create wickets,” Buttler added.

“At 19 for two in the powerplay, the game was in the balance. But Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer put together a good partnership.

“(Iyer) chose to take on our aggressive bowling with some really positive shots. That was the game in a nutshell.”