Jos Buttler expresses ‘disappointment’ as England falls to India in T20I series

England captain Jos Buttler admitted his disappointment after his team’s crushing defeat to India in the fifth and final T20I at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. With this victory, India secured the five-match series 4-1, delivering a dominant all-round performance to close out the contest in style.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Buttler acknowledged that while England had done some things well, there was still room for improvement. He emphasized the importance of committing to their aggressive style of play and refining their execution. The England skipper also praised India’s performance, particularly their dominance at home. “We’re disappointed to lose the series, but we’ve done some things well and some things we want to improve on. We want to keep committing to this style of cricket and execute better. India are a fantastic side, especially at home, and we’re better for the experience, the experience of great crowds like this at the Wankhede,” Buttler said. He also lauded the efforts of Brydon Carse and Mark Wood with the ball and described Abhishek Sharma’s innings as one of the best he had ever seen.

The match began with England winning the toss and opting to bowl first. India’s batting was headlined by a breathtaking knock from Abhishek Sharma, who smashed 135 off just 54 balls, hitting seven fours and 13 sixes. His explosive innings propelled India to a massive total of 247/9. England’s bowlers struggled to contain the onslaught, but Brydon Carse managed to pick up three wickets, while Mark Wood claimed two.

Chasing 248, England faltered early and never recovered, getting bowled out for just 97 runs in 10.3 overs. Opener Philip Salt was the only batter to offer resistance, scoring 55 off 23 balls, including seven boundaries and three sixes. However, the rest of the batting lineup failed to make an impact, with none of the other players reaching double digits.

India’s bowlers produced a clinical performance, dismantling England’s batting order with precision. Abhishek Sharma, Shivam Dube, and Varun Chakravarthy all took three wickets each, sealing a resounding victory for the hosts.

Abhishek Sharma was named the ‘Player of the Match’ for his outstanding all-round display, while Varun Chakravarthy received the ‘Player of the Series’ award for his consistent performances. India’s dominant series win reaffirmed their strength in T20 cricket, while England will look to regroup and address their shortcomings before their next challenge.