England’s Disastrous India Tour-Kevin Pietersen bashes England's defeatist mind set and ill-preparedness in the wake of 3-0 ODI rout.

England's recent India tour was a total disaster. The series, which ended on 12 February 2025, saw the batting side suffer an ignominious 142-run defeat against India in Ahmedabad. This loss sealed a clean-sweep for India, with England being comprehensively beaten 3-0 in the ODI series. The tour had already gone poorly for England, as they had lost the T20I series before the ODIs, leaving many to question the visitors’ preparation and performance.

Displeased former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen was quick to air his disappointment at the manner in which the England players seem to be lacking the commitment required to triumph in India. Scathing criticism of Pietersen focused on insufficient amount of practice and preparation the team adopted before and during the series. He also indicated that there had been only one practice session in England prior to their match in Nagpur and no other sessions scheduled post that. Pietersen was particularly disappointed to hear that the team hadn’t practiced since the opening game of the series, pointing out that Joe Root was the only batter who had spent time in the nets.

For Pietersen, this absence of commitment to training was unforgivable. "There is not a single sportsperson who goes into a series and decides 'I am going to get better without practice,'" Pietersen remarked. Focusing on the pleasure of the tour, however, was only one part (eg, enjoying time on the course or having dinner) while the players were, in reality, there to win cricket matches. If you make money by running out the batsmen, you make money when you win a cricket match. You don't get paid to play golf," he stated plainly, visibly exasperated by the team's apparent inattention. According to Pietersen, the players lacked respect for both Indian conditions and the Indian cricket team because they prepared insufficiently. I am so sorry to have to say that you can make so much of an Indian inconsiderate of India. I am absolutely gutted as an Englishman," he concluded.

They loss was the finale to a string of poor shows in the tour. The team struggled on both fronts—batting and bowling. Especially for the England batting unit, it was a problem against India's spinners that arose in both the ODI and T20I series. Despite decent starts in several matches, the England batters couldn’t capitalize on their good positions, and the middle-order failed to stabilize the innings on multiple occasions. The same is true of past England players, Ben Duckett and Joe Root, who were the only two of the England players to score a century in the three-match ODI series, but their outstanding efforts were not enough to turn the tide against a resoundingly overwhelming defeat.

England captain Jos Buttler, although conceding a loss, defended the team's approach. In the post-match interview Buttler declared that he thought the team's strategy was the correct one, but that they had just not been able to carry it through properly. He confessed that they had been outwitted by an own superior Indian team all through the series, most notably in the final ODI. “Our approach is the right one, it's just that we haven't executed well, Buttler said. "They put a great score on the board. Shubman (Gill) have been in the form of a good delivery, and we started off on a promising note but that has been the same for us every time. We need to come up with a way to hold out for a longer period," We have to . Buttler also praised the Indian team, acknowledging that they had consistently posed a challenge, making it difficult for England to compete at their best.

The England team's poor performance to the spin bowling persisted throughout the tour. However, the lack of success due to visitors not being able to cope well with India's slow bowlers was a major reason for their overall loss. Although Buttler defended England's stance, the truth of the matter was that England's batting order, even the middle order, could not adapt to the subcontinent conditions. This type of susceptibility to spin, however, and the fact that they are not equipped to form pairs at decision nodes of the game constrain the fate of these.

The England team's unkind defeat in India will have devastating consequences, particularly with the 2025 Champions Trophy scheduled to commence in Pakistan on 19 February. England will need to make significant adjustments to their strategy and approach, particularly against spin, if they are to be competitive in the upcoming tournament. The tour brought to light a clear need for greater emphasis on planning and rehearsals, which Pietersen felt were sorely missing on this tour.

England's tour of India was generally defined by poor performances and an inability to prepare—the ODI series was won 3-0. Pietersen’s criticisms of the team’s attitude, particularly regarding their lack of practice and focus, painted a picture of a squad that was not fully invested in the task at hand. Even though Buttler argued in defence of the team's methods, the England national team must develop significant changes, if it is going to be taken seriously in international competition in the future.