Jos Buttler Lauds Rohit Sharma’s Match-Winning Knock in Cuttack

England Skipper Calls Rohit’s Century a "Great Innings" After India Clinches Series

Cuttack (Odisha), February 10: England captain Jos Buttler showered praise on India’s skipper Rohit Sharma after his match-winning 119-run knock powered the Men in Blue to a 4-wicket victory in the second ODI at the Barabati Stadium on Sunday. With this win, India sealed the three-match series 2-0 against England.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Buttler acknowledged Rohit's exceptional innings and admitted that England had aimed for a bigger total in the first innings.

"Another great innings from Rohit; he's been doing it in ODI cricket for a while. We tried to get to 330-350, maybe that would have been defendable. Just keep taking steps in the right direction—though results are not there, we need to keep going," Buttler told ESPNcricinfo.

Rohit’s Masterclass Leads India to Series Win

Rohit Sharma turned the game on its head with a blistering 119 off 90 balls, laced with 12 fours and seven sixes. His opening stand of 136 runs with Shubman Gill (60 off 52 balls) set the tone for India's successful chase of 305. Despite a few middle-order hiccups, crucial contributions from Shreyas Iyer (44) and Axar Patel (41*) ensured India reached the target comfortably in just 45 overs.

England’s Batting Effort Falls Short

After winning the toss and electing to bat, England put up 304 runs, courtesy of Joe Root (69 off 72), Ben Duckett (65 off 56), and handy contributions from Liam Livingstone (41) and Buttler himself (34). However, Ravindra Jadeja led India’s bowling attack with a disciplined 3/35 in 10 overs, while Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, and Mohammed Shami chipped in with a wicket each.

What’s Next?

With the series already in the bag, India will head to Ahmedabad for the third and final ODI at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday, aiming for a clean sweep.

Last Updated on February 10, 2025 by Sandeep