Despite England being all out in 34.2 overs in Ahmedabad as they stumbled to a 16th loss in their last 23 ODIs since the start of the 2023 World Cup, Buttler retains hope for England’s Champions Trophy bid.
Banton was England’s joint-top scorer with 38 as they once more struggled for fluency against India’s spinners after Shubman Gill’s classy 112, plus fifties for Virat Kohli (52) and Shreyas Iyer (78), had helped the hosts to an imposing total after Buttler had won the toss on a baking hot day.
As England slid to a 142-run thumping and a seventh loss in eight games, former India player and coach Ravi Shastri falsely claimed the tourists had “just one net session this entire trip, if not any”.
Duckett is set for a scan but with England starting their Champions Trophy campaign against Australia on February 22 in Lahore, the omens do not look good despite Buttler keeping his fingers crossed.
Jos Buttler insisted England are not “lazy” amid criticism about how often they have trained in India as they signed off on a miserable white-ball tour with a 3-0 ODI series whitewash defeat.
