Nasser Hussain Reflects On England’s Struggles In White-Ball Cricket

February 8, 2025: Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes that England’s white-ball cricket has significantly regressed since the leadership of Eoin Morgan and coach Trevor Bayliss, who led the team to World Cup glory in 2019. Hussain pointed out that England’s current performance, especially during their recent white-ball tour of India, has been far from the dominant force they once were.

England’s white-ball series against India has been a tough one, with the team struggling in both the T20I and ODI formats. After arriving in India with hopes of regaining form and momentum ahead of the Champions Trophy, England were dealt a crushing 4-1 defeat in the T20I series. The loss highlighted England’s ongoing issues, particularly their vulnerability to spin bowling, which was a consistent factor in both the T20I and ODI series.

The first ODI in Nagpur saw England face another challenge against India’s spinners. Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav exploited England’s weaknesses, limiting them to a modest total of 247. Despite a few valiant individual performances, including Shubman Gill’s 87, Shreyas Iyer’s 59, and Axar Patel’s 52, India cruised to victory with more than 11 overs to spare, continuing their dominance in white-ball cricket.

Hussain observed that England’s struggles have followed a similar pattern to their T20I series defeat. He mentioned how England’s poor decision-making, such as the run-out of Phil Salt in the first ODI, and the dominance of spin bowling were critical factors that led to their downfall. “They lost a lot of those games for spin as well,” Hussain commented on the Sky Sports podcast.

Reflecting on England’s current slump, Hussain noted that they have drifted away from the level of dominance they once enjoyed under Morgan and Bayliss, particularly in white-ball formats. He pointed out India’s depth and strength, highlighting the performances of players like Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and the absence of Virat Kohli in the T20I series, yet India’s consistency remained. “India is obviously a formidable white-ball side… but England white-ball cricket for quite some time now has been way off where it was under Morgan and Bayliss,” Hussain said.

As the series continues, England’s hope now lies in finding the right combination for their second ODI in Cuttack. With two matches left to play, the team will be looking to bounce back, regain form, and prepare for the upcoming Champions Trophy.