Jos Buttler Responds to Ravi Shastri's Criticism on England's Training Approach

Sports Cricket

Posted by NewAdmin on 2025-02-13 08:42:23 |

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England captain Jos Buttler has refuted former India coach Ravi Shastri's claims that England had only one net session during their recent tour of India. Shastri, speaking during commentary in the third ODI, criticized England for not putting in the "hard yards" in training, which he believed contributed to their 0-3 ODI series loss and a 1-4 defeat in the five-match T20I series.

Shastri’s Criticism and Buttler’s Response

Shastri remarked, "From what I've heard, England have had just one net session this entire trip, if not any. If you're not prepared to do the hard yards, you're not going to improve." His comments suggested that England’s lack of rigorous practice was a key factor in their underwhelming performance.

However, Buttler strongly disagreed, stating, "I'm not sure that's quite true, to be honest. We've had a reasonably long tour with a few long travel days. There have been a couple of times we've not trained, but we've certainly done plenty of training throughout the tour."

He further defended his team’s preparation, emphasizing that a relaxed atmosphere should not be mistaken for a lack of commitment. "We try and create a really good environment, but don't mistake that for a lazy environment or a lack of effort. The guys are desperate to perform, do well, and improve," Buttler said.

England’s Training Schedule and Performance

Reports indicate that England held training sessions before the first ODI in Nagpur and also before the second and third T20Is in Chennai and Rajkot. However, no training sessions were conducted before the fourth and fifth T20Is in Pune and Mumbai or before the second and third ODIs in Cuttack and Ahmedabad.

Buttler acknowledged that England failed to capitalize on key moments throughout the series. "It's probably a bit of a similar theme from this series and the whole tour. We had a couple of moments in the game, but never enough to go on and force a result or win against a really good team," he admitted.

Looking ahead, Buttler expressed hope that opener Ben Duckett, who suffered a groin injury in the third ODI, would recover in time for the upcoming Champions Trophy, set to begin on February 19.

As England reflects on their disappointing tour, the debate over their training intensity remains a talking point. However, Buttler remains optimistic that his team can learn from their mistakes and bounce back stronger in future tournaments.

Go!