"Spoil India's party" - Nasser Hussain ahead of England's next 2023 World Cup clash
Ex-England captain Nasser Hussain has urged Jos Buttler and Co. to spoil India's party as they gear up to face the hosts in the 2023 World Cup clash in Lucknow. Hussain wanted the Englishmen to showcase what they were capable of and asked them to display their aura.
England, who have lost four matches out of five in the tournament, will face a rampaging India on October 29th. Led by Rohit Sharma, the Men in Blue are undefeated and almost all the players are in supreme form. They will look to capitalize on England's weakness and register their sixth victory.
In his column for The Daily Mail, the 55-year-old wrote:
"The players must take the responsibility for this. I’m not a great one for cliches like playing for the badge but that’s what England have got to do now. They have to go to Lucknow on Sunday and spoil India’s party. They must remind India and the world just how great cricketers they have been – and still are."
England can take slight confidence from their head-to-head record against India as they have won four out of eight matches. One of those ended with no result.
"This is not the fault of the Hundred" - Nasser Hussain
The reputed commentator blamed the players for England's poor showing instead of external factors like The Hundred.
"I’ve heard people at home are doing that but this is not the fault of the Hundred or the Blast or the fact England’s best players do not play much 50-over cricket. They are just lame excuses."
Hussain reckoned England's 50-over domestic structure is as strong as any other country's.
"How much 50-over cricket do Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli play? Or Heinrich Klaasen? Players around the world learn from T20 franchise cricket and ours learn from a domestic structure that helped make them the best white-ball side in the world."
England are yet to play an ODI in Lucknow, a venue known to support spin.