Skip to content

Sir Ian Botham said England's batting failure in the second ODI against India was 'criminal'

India ODI
Image: Ravindra Jadeja: struck eight fours and two sixes to power India to an imposing total

'Clueless' England must come out fighting in Saturday's third one-day international against India after losing by 127 runs in Kochi, says Sir Ian Botham.

Latest Cricket Stories

"We first saw him in that series against Pakistan where he bowled very well and he's continued that today. His three wickets were big wickets - Cook, Pietersen and Morgan. "That knocks the stuffing out of you and then you have to start again; the spinners come on and England didn't knock it around. It was slow and it was turning; they didn't want to go dancing down the wicket for fear of being stumped. It was just good cricket by India but poor from England, by the standards they've set themselves. "You don't get to World No 1 in the rankings by playing poorly and today was as bad as I've seen them bat [for some time]. It was turning a bit but we're talking about orthodox finger-spin bowlers, not mystery balls." Watch the third ODI between India and England, in Ranchi, live on Sky Sports 1 HD this Saturday from 6am.

Around Sky