Morgan Backs Buttler After England Faced A Crushing Defeat Against India At Oval

Swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler's life as England's white-ball skipper hasn't been off to a great start, losing the T20I series to India 2-1, which was followed by a 10-wicket thrashing handed by the visitors in the first ODI at The Oval on Tuesday.

Despite the return of big guns like Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow, England were skittled out for 110 in just 25.2 overs, with Jasprit Bumrah being the chief destroyer with a fiery 6-19. In a paltry chase of 111, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan were unbeaten on 76 and 31 respectively to seal a 10-wicket win for India.

Buttler's predecessor and former England skipper Eoin Morgan has backed him to deliver a strong message to the side in taking the direction to bounce back from the crushing defeat.

"I know what this feels like. It's not nice -- you focus inwards, not outwards. 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," said Morgan after the match on Sky Sports.

Morgan further explained how people are attentive to listening what the captain says after a loss in England's dressing room.

"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."

Morgan recalled instances from his captaincy days where despite poor performances, he wanted England to continue with his new approach in ODIs and expected for Buttler as well as head coach Matthew Mott to continue in the same vein.

The matches Morgan referred to were an ODI against South Africa at Lord's in 2017, where England were reduced to 20-6 before recovering to score 153 in a seven-wicket defeat and at Adelaide in early 2018, when Australia reduced England to 8-5 before eventually posting 196 in a three-wicket loss.

"There were a couple of times early on in my captaincy, and continued questions throughout. 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'.

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"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."