England's practice schedule during their ODI series whitewash in India has come under attack after high-profile commentators criticised their seemingly sparse training timetable.
England's training for the series came to attention during the final match of the series in Ahmedabad, which they lost by 142 runs. That loss sealed a 3-0 series defeat for England, who lost by four wickets in both Nagpur and Cuttack.
What was said about England's training schedule?
Speaking on commentary in Ahmedabad while England were batting, Ravi Shastri brought England's training schedule to attention. "From what I've heard, England have had one net session this entire trip, if not any. If you're not prepared to do the hard yards, you're not going to improve," he said.
Kevin Pietersen also weighed in on the tourists' preparation in between matches, alleging that only Joe Root of England's squad trained in the nets ahead of the final ODI. He also said that Tom Banton, who flew over from Dubai to Ahmedabad ahead of the final match to replace the injured Jacob Bethell, had spent the day before the game on the golf course rather than training.
"The two hour flight from Dubai across here, he [Banton] was on the golf course yesterday," said Pietersen. "He wasn't batting, and where have the issues come? The start 1-60, 2-80, and then what happens? None of them can play spin. And how do you improve playing spin?"
England collapsed from 126-2 to 214 all out in Ahmedabad, which signed off their first ODI series under Brendon McCullum. They have now slumped to 16 defeats in the 23 ODIs they have played since the 2023 World Cup.
Wisden.com understands that the England camp are unhappy with how their timetable has been represented, with the squad training regularly during the T20I series and before the ODIs started. While there has not been a group training session since the start of the ODIs, England had reasonably tight turnarounds between all three games, with two days between each, including an internal flight, and several injuries to contend with.
Jofra Archer missed the second two matches, as did Bethell - who has now been ruled-out of the Champions Trophy. Jamie Smith missed the entire series with a calf issue, while Brydon Carse (toe) and Jamie Overton (hamstring) are also nursing niggles. In Ahmedabad, Jos Buttler, Mark Wood and Ben Duckett all spent time off the field with injury concerns.
It's also worth noting that India did not train ahead of the final ODI.
Speaking on TNT Sport after the match, Matt Prior gave a more balanced view of England's training schedule. "It’s very easy to sit here now and say, ‘they should be in the nets every minute of every day working hard, what’s this golf rubbish?’" said Prior. "I’m sure there will be people at home fiercely frustrated by watching England lose time and time again... I think we have to be balanced as well. It’s been a long tour, there’s been a lot of time away, the travel thing is an element, especially when you’re losing, you can’t just take all elements of fun away and keep beating yourself.
"I know we’ve spoken about that awful Ashes series that Finny [Steven Finn] and I have tried desperately hard to forget in 2013/14. We just netted and netted and netted and worked and worked and we just couldn’t get any form. We should have just gone and played golf, quite frankly."
Also speaking on TNT Sport, Finn said: "This is an eight-week long trip that they’re on until the end of the Champions Trophy. I understand the frustration and on the face of it, they’ve just been bowled out and lost by 142 runs, you’re sat there thinking, ‘they should be in the nets’. But I also think that you can compound bad habits in the nets... But am I infuriated that they didn’t practice during this ODI series? I don’t think I am."
With the squad due to travel to Pakistan in the next few days ahead of their Champions Trophy campaign, England are also keen to preserve the freshness of their squad. At a minimum, players who were involved in the T20I series in India will have been away for six weeks by the end of England's group matches in the Champions Trophy.
England will play their first match in that campaign in Lahore, against Australia on February 22.
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