England's Batting Strategy in Cuttack

As the action unfolded at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, England made a strategic decision to bat first in the second ODI against India. This came after their skipper, Jos Buttler, aimed to inject some confidence into the team following a rather bleak performance in the first game of the series. The pitch, with its black soil and visible cracks, hinted at spin opportunities later, leading India to introduce Varun Chakravarthy, granting him a debut in place of Kuldeep Yadav, in an expectation of spinning advantage.

The innings started on a cautious note. England faced a setback when Philip Salt was sent packing early by Chakravarthy, only managing to put 14 runs on the board. However, this early blow did little to shake the resolve of Joe Root and Ben Duckett, who together crafted a stabilizing 50-run stand. Root, known for his adept batting in conditions favoring spin, kept the scoreboard ticking with controlled strike rotation, while Duckett seized any loose ball to keep the momentum.

India's Spin Attack vs England's Formidable Line-up

The Indian bowling, particularly Harshit Rana’s shorter deliveries, were initially met with aggression, though Mohammed Shami’s disciplined lines managed to restrain the run flow. The pitch in Cuttack bore similarities to its Nagpur counterpart, predicting slow deliveries and potential dew problems in the evening, making early breakthroughs vital for India’s spinners—Chakravarthy, Jadeja, and Axar Patel.

On the flip side, India faced a selection conundrum with the possibility of Virat Kohli rejoining the team, likely taking Shreyas Iyer’s spot despite his noteworthy half-century in the series opener. Rohit Sharma, too, found himself under the magnifying glass due to his patchy form; he stressed the importance of maintaining the clinical edge from their Nagpur victory but recognized the need for maintaining this consistency, especially with the Champions Trophy looming.

England, not to be outdone, swapped in Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, and Jamie Overton in place of Brydon Carse and others, in a bid to fortify their pace attack—a tactical move aimed at unsettling the Indian batsmen while capitalizing on any aging pitch conditions.