Jos Buttler led from the front with 68 off 44 balls but the rest of England’s batters struggled in their first T20 against India which marks Brendon McCullum’s first match as white-ball head coach.
McCullum is seeking to transform England’s limited-overs sides like he has done with the Test team, urging them to play a “watchable” style of cricket, but this was a rusty batting display in Kolkata.
Captain Buttler hit his straps, thumping 10 of England’s 16 boundaries, in a total of 132 all out, but Harry Brook was the only other touring batter in the top eight to reach double figures.
Battling hard to get us to a defendable total ?
Another captain’s knock from Jos ? pic.twitter.com/RjSTqLreQK
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 22, 2025
The Yorkshireman made a skittish 17 off 14 balls, before being bowled by leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who did likewise to Liam Livingstone en route to figures of three for 23.
India were terrific in the field, with Rinku Singh taking a terrific over-the-shoulder catch to see off Ben Duckett, who alongside fellow opener Phil Salt departed via leading edges off Arshdeep Singh as the left-armer became India’s all-time leading T20 wicket-taker.
Buttler held the innings together well, thumping six fours off Hardik Pandya including four in an over, while Axar Patel was muscled over deep midwicket for six.
However, England got bogged down by spin in the middle overs and with wickets continuing to tumble, Buttler tried to hit the accelerator off Chakravarthy.
Jofra Archer became only the third England batter to reach double figures, making 12 off 10 deliveries, before Mark Wood was run out from the final ball of the innings.
The pair will now be counted upon to deliver with ball in hand as England seek to avoid the new McCullum era from starting on a damp squib.
