Another punishing England tour of India approaches the end, the scorelines ugly, the tight moments spurned by the visitors. With one match left to play on Wednesday, Jos Buttler’s team have six defeats and one victory. Should they endure a one‑day international series whitewash, it won’t be off‑Broadway: the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, with its six‑figure capacity, awaits.
A year ago it was the Test side that tumbled to a 4-1 defeat. That tour began with a famous victory in Hyderabad and a tasty fifth-Test decider was in the offing when England took a first-innings lead in the fourth. Then came the contractually obligated collapse to spin before an innings defeat in the final Test.
The tourists have had periods of promise here but were thumped at the start and end of the Twenty20 series, and the ODIs have extended a strain of misery that goes back decades. England have not won a white-ball series in India for 40 years. This was always going to be a difficult first assignment for Brendon McCullum as white-ball head coach, up against history, the T20 World Cup champions and a crack 50-over team, too.
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Bumrah out of Champions Trophy
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India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the Champions Trophy after failing to recover from a lower back injury in time for the tournament, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) announced on Tuesday.
Bumrah, the highest wicket-taker in the recent test series with Australia which India lost 3-1, had back spasms during the final test in Sydney last month, which also ruled him out of a five-match T20 international series with England. His absence will be a major blow to India, with the 31-year-old widely considered one of the best all-format fast bowlers in the sport.
“Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy due to a lower back injury. The men’s selection committee has named Harshit Rana as Bumrah’s replacement,” the BCCI said in a statement.
Rana has played two ODIs, both of which came against England this month, picking up four wickets. The BCCI added that spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, who took 14 wickets in a five-match Twenty20 series against England in January and February, would replace batter Yashasvi Jaiswal.
India are in Group A in the Champions Trophy and meet Bangladesh in Dubai on 20 February, before taking on defending champions and rivals Pakistan and ending their group campaign against New Zealand. Reuters
But the final ODI cannot be an end-of-term fling. Ben Duckett has acknowledged that the upcoming Champions Trophy is the priority, that victory there would forgive a series defeat here. But while this is not a side that lacks in optimism, the defeats, piling up, must be nibbling away inside, right? England have not won a 50-over series since September 2023. A win, even one that’s consolatory, feels required before a cut-throat major tournament that will feature only three group-stage games.
Amid the difficulties, enter Tom Banton. The Somerset batter was called up for the final ODI after Jacob Bethell sustained a hamstring injury last week and is expected to replace the Warwickshire left-hander in the squad for the Champions Trophy, a substantial promotion after three years in international exile.
Banton’s story began in 2019 when he was the kid too gifted to ignore after England’s World Cup win, a handful of appearances clocked up in both white-ball forms over the subsequent two years. Everything came in a rush. Lean times on the T20 merry-go-round left him pushed into the background.
The absence of Jacob Bethell’s bowling will reduce the number of options the England captain, Jos Buttler, has at his disposal. Photograph: Aijaz Rahi/AP
His 2024 was fruitful in the Blast, while a prolific red-ball campaign – 891 County Championship runs at 49.5 – included a remarkable 46 at No 11 against Surrey with an ankle injury. The crocked right-hander used his bat as a walking stick before flaying away with minimal footwork. He finds himself back in England gear after a couple of hundreds in the ILT20 last month.
It is a slightly odd call from England to replace Bethell with Banton, a southpaw who bowls handy spin substituted by a right-hander who can keep wicket. Banton is largely a top-order man in T20s but his 50‑over identity is a mystery.
Owing to the clash of the One-Day Cup with the Hundred, Banton has not played List-A cricket since August 2020, when he batted at five in an ODI against Ireland. With the 26‑year‑old expected to play in Ahmedabad, he will have to find his one-day tempo against a rampant bowling lineup at a gargantuan venue. It’s a tough ask.
Banton joins a batting group in need of someone to play the long game, with four half-centurions in the first two ODIs but no one yet to reach 70. Ravindra Jadeja has caused plenty of grief, six wickets and two red-inkers with the bat. The thing for England to cling on to? India are back where they were stunned 15 months ago by Travis Head’s blade in the World Cup final.
After a disappointing series against Australia, England’s cricket team is turning to young talent Tom Banton for a much-needed boost. With the consolation of the series victory slipping away, the team is counting on Banton to provide some much-needed firepower in the upcoming matches.
Banton, known for his aggressive batting style and fearless approach, has already shown his potential in limited-overs cricket. The 22-year-old has impressed fans and critics alike with his ability to score quick runs and take on the best bowlers in the world.
England’s captain and coaching staff have expressed their confidence in Banton’s abilities and are hopeful that he can make a significant impact in the remaining matches of the series. With his natural talent and attacking mindset, Banton could be the key to turning around England’s fortunes and salvaging some pride from what has been a disappointing tour.
As England regroups and looks to bounce back from a series of defeats, all eyes will be on Banton as he looks to make his mark on the international stage and help his team secure a much-needed victory. Will he be the hero England needs to turn their fortunes around? Only time will tell.
The Portland Trail Blazers dropped their fourth straight game with a 118-89 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night. The Blazers were led in scoring by Dalano Banton who finished with 23 points in just 24 minutes.
Portland was missing Deni Avdija, Jerami Grant and Donovan Clingan in this game. Those losses were greatly felt as Portland struggled to put together any offensive production.
Blazer of the Game: Scoot Henderson, again. Henderson scored 16 points and had six assists in the contest, but was kept out of the game for long stretches due to foul trouble. During his time on the floor Scoot showed confidence in his abilities, including a couple of uncharacteristic three-point attempts and a handful of great passes. He is clearly playing with more poise and looks much more comfortable in his role recently.
Stat of the Night: Three-point woes. Generally when a team shoots 11 more shots from deep than an opponent, they tend to make more. However, the Blazers made just 9 of their 34 attempts from behind the arc, good for 26% shooting, compared to the 10-23 performance for the Clippers, a 44% clip.
What We’ll Remember: Another blowout at home. This loss is the third straight for Portland on their current homestand, and those have come by a total margin of 68 points. This has been a rough stretch for the Blazers. The on-court product has been poor in front of the home crowd.
What’s Next: Rockets are in town. The Blazers will face the Houston Rockets on Saturday, January 18 at 7:00 pm
Last night’s game did not go as planned for the Banton Bombastic Blazers as they were blown out by their opponents. Despite their best efforts on the court, the Blazers just couldn’t seem to keep up with the competition.
Fans of the team were disappointed with the outcome, but they know that there are still plenty of games left in the season. The Blazers will need to regroup and come back stronger in their next match to show that they are a force to be reckoned with in the league.
Even though they may have been blown out this time, the Banton Bombastic Blazers have the talent and determination to bounce back and prove that they are a team to be feared. Stay tuned for their next game as they look to redeem themselves and show the league what they are truly capable of.
Buju Banton – TIL SHILOH – 2 x LP 25th Vinyl Album NEW Dancehall Reggae Record
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