In a thrilling encounter at Cuttack, India secured a series victory against England by winning the second one-day international, thus taking an unassailable 2-0 lead. India captain Rohit Sharma was the star of the match, delivering an impressive innings of 119 runs off 90 balls, propelling his team to a memorable win. The absence of key players and a lackluster performance from England's lower-order left the visitors struggling to keep pace with the hosts.
England's captain, Jos Buttler, acknowledged that his team performed admirably in several aspects but ultimately fell short of victory. Despite England's formidable total of 304 runs, India's batting prowess under the lights reduced it to a seemingly insubstantial target. The tourists hoped to mark the beginning of a promising era under new coach Brendon McCullum, yet have now lost six out of seven matches on this tour.
"We did a lot of things well. We got in some nice positions with the bat. We just needed a few of us to catch fire and get up towards 350. Rohit played a terrific knock." – Jos Buttler
Rohit Sharma's authoritative knock was pivotal in India's chase. His strategic batting included punishing any short deliveries and elegantly timing the full ones, until he was eventually dismissed by a miscue off Liam Livingstone's full toss in the 30th over. His contribution was lauded by teammate Shubman Gill, who expressed how batting alongside Rohit simplifies the game for others.
"The way Rohit took on the ball was good. The way he dominated the fast bowlers was great to watch from the non-striker's end." – Shubman Gill
England's innings witnessed a solid start from their top six batsmen, each making it past 25 runs. However, none managed to convert their starts into centuries, leaving their innings short of a competitive finish. Joe Root, who found some rhythm in his anchor role, partnered with Harry Brook for a 66-run stand. Yet Root's frustration was evident as he fell to Ravindra Jadeja in the 43rd over while attempting an aggressive shot.
Without contributions from players like Bethell or Jamie Smith, who remains sidelined due to a calf injury, England's lower order was exposed. The spinners offered some control, keeping their economy below a run per ball, but the fast bowlers were heavily punished by the Indian batsmen.
The match concluded with India stuttering slightly towards the end but ultimately securing victory with four wickets in hand and 33 balls to spare. Shubman Gill highlighted the ease of batting when accompanied by an in-form Rohit, emphasizing the support he offers from the non-striker's end.
"I really enjoyed being out there, scoring some runs for the team." – Rohit Sharma
The series will conclude with the final match set for Wednesday in Ahmedabad. England will aim to salvage some pride before turning their attention to their Champions Trophy opener against Australia on February 22.
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