England captain Jos Buttler remains optimistic about his team’s chances in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, despite a disappointing 3-0 ODI series defeat in India.
Speaking after England’s 142-run loss in the third ODI in Ahmedabad, Buttler acknowledged India’s dominance but insisted that his side still has the potential to be a formidable force in the tournament, which begins on February 19 in Pakistan and Dubai. England will open their campaign against Australia on February 22 in Lahore.
“We’re up against a good side in their own conditions, they’re probably the benchmark in ODI cricket at the moment,” Buttler said. “But the fact we’re not playing anywhere near our potential gives us something to look forward to. We believe we can get there and be a dangerous team in the Champions Trophy.”
England’s struggles against Indian spinners were evident throughout the series, with Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel causing consistent problems. However, Buttler dismissed concerns about England’s ability to play spin, emphasizing that they need to execute better.
“Joe Root is probably one of the best players of spin in the world. We just have to be more effective and take lessons from the opposition,” he added.
Despite the setbacks, England had positives to take from the series, particularly Adil Rashid’s performance. The leg-spinner finished as the leading wicket-taker with seven scalps, earning praise from Buttler.
“He’s bowled fantastically well all tour. He seems to keep getting better and better,” the England skipper noted.
With England placed in Group B alongside South Africa and Afghanistan, Buttler remains confident that his team can turn things around and challenge for the title.
