Eoin Morgan: England captain Jos Buttler will deliver strong message to his team after heavy defeat to India in first ODI | Cricket News

England bowled out for 110 in 25.2 overs as they suffer a 10-wicket hammering at the hands of India in the first ODI of the three-match series on Tuesday; Eoin Morgan: “People will be in that changing room wanting to flinch and wanting an out, but that is the time to lead”

Eoin Morgan has backed his successor as white-ball captain, Jos Buttler, to deliver a strong message to his England team after they suffered a 10-wicket hammering by India in the first one-day international of their three-match series.

Buttler’s side were bowled out for 110 in just 25.2 overs at The Kia Oval on Tuesday – Jasprit Bumrah (6-19) claiming record figures for a bowler against England – with Rohit Sharma then smashing an unbeaten 78 from 56 balls to see India to an emphatic win.

It makes it three defeats in four for Buttler as permanent captain after England lost the preceding T20 international series 2-1, but Morgan has backed him to stay strong in his messaging, saying from experience that this is the time to lead.

“I know what this feels like,” Morgan told Sky Sports. “It’s not nice – you focus inwards, not outwards.

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England suffered a thumping 10-wicket defeat to India in the first ODI at The Kia Oval, during which they were skittled for 110 in 25.2 overs

“But, having had the experience both playing and leading previously that Jos has had, he will see this as an opportunity in that changing room to reiterate a very clear and strong message about where they are going and what they’re doing.

“People will be in that changing room wanting to flinch and wanting an out, but that is the time to lead.

“You can give the best possible message to somebody, and if they’re not listening it doesn’t go anywhere. But I can guarantee you that when you lose, everybody in the changing room listens.

“A clear-cut message from your leader at times like this, and for your senior players to embody it, is crucial.”

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Morgan recalled occasions in his captaincy when, after similarly poor performances with the bat, he stuck to his guns on the approach he wanted his side to take.

Against South Africa in an ODI at Lord’s in 2017, England were 20-6 before recovering somewhat to score 153 in a seven-wicket defeat, while at Adelaide in early 2018, Australia reduced Morgan’s side to 8-5 before they ultimately posted 196 in a three-wicket loss.

“There were a couple of times early on in my captaincy, and continued questions throughout,” Morgan added.

“I look back at Lord’s, I think, against South Africa, and Adelaide where we were 8-5.

“Those are key moments where people are waiting to go ‘let’s be smarter, let’s pull back in a bit’. That’s not where Jos Buttler and his England team want to be.

“They want to be at the forefront of performance, winning World Cups and considered to be the best side in the world. And I think that’s what he will be saying to his side.”

Buttler: Batting has been our super strength

Buttler, speaking to reporters after his side’s heavy defeat, insisted that their batting remains their “super strength” and would not be derailed.

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Jos Buttler reacts to England’s ten wicket loss to India in the first ODI at The Kia Oval.

“You certainly don’t want days like this to come,” Buttler said. “They have come few and far between so it’s tough to take.

“It’s certainly key not to panic, not to look too much into it and find too many faults. India bowled fantastically well and we didn’t manage to deal with it as well as we’d have liked.

“But, if I look back over the past five or six years, batting has been our super strength in this form of the game. You look at the names of the guys in there, they are some of the best players we’ve had.

“We’ll try and learn from it as much as we can but we’ll stick to what we know. There’s huge trust in that dressing room that there are brilliant players in there.

“We need to be positive, get back out there and put things right when we play on Thursday [in the second ODI at Lord’s].”

Nasser: Morgan tough act to follow

Former England captain, Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain hailed Bumrah and also urged England not to panic following their hammering at The Kia Oval to open the ODI series.

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Nasser Hussain believes that ‘it’s not the time to panic’ after England lost by ten wickets to India in the first ODI.

“I don’t think you can be overly critical of England’s batters. Sometimes you just have to say that it’s wonderful bowling.

“It was hard work but it is supposed to be hard work. It is the highest level and is not supposed be a walk in the park for batters all the time.

“Today was a day to be a bowler and England’s batters were found wanting – but it is absolutely not the time to panic in any way at all.

“There has been a complete change in management and it will take time for captain Jos Buttler and new coach Matthew Mott to develop their own team and squad. Let’s be honest, Eoin Morgan is a very tough act to follow.

“I wouldn’t be panicking about the batting line-up. I know that is an odd thing to say after 110 all out but they have a lot of batting that will get them runs in T20s and ODIs, so many options.”

Watch the second one-day international between England and India, from Lord’s, live on Sky Sports Cricket on Thursday. Coverage begins at 12.30pm with the first ball at 1pm.