Former wicketkeeper Matt Prior has expressed his dissatisfaction with Englandperformance in the second ODI against India, highlighting several areas of concern. Currently, Jos Buttler and his team find themselves trailing 0-2 in the three-match series, with only one match remaining, raising significant apprehensions as they approach the Champions Trophy. Despite setting a target of 305 runs after batting first, England struggled to compete at Cuttack, where Rohit Sharma's century facilitated an easy chase for the Indian team. This series defeat poses a troubling sign for England's preparations ahead of the Champions Trophy, scheduled to commence on February 19 in Pakistan.

Prior noted that while India did lose a few wickets towards the end, the chase for the target was relatively straightforward, largely due to the strong 135-run opening partnership between Rohit and Shubman Gill, which established a solid foundation for their innings.

"The concern lies in how effortlessly India managed to chase down 305 runs. Although they lost a few wickets at the end, it seemed more a matter of tedium than challenge, as they were simply looking to conclude the match," Prior remarked on TNT Sports.

Rohit delivered an exceptional performance, dominating the England bowlers with his aggressive batting. The dynamic Indian opener, who achieved the milestone of hitting the second most sixes in ODIs on Sunday, struck 12 fours and seven sixes during the match in Cuttack.

‘England had no answer for Rohit Sharma’

Prior indicated that the English bowling unit, spearheaded by Mark Wood, appeared ineffective against the Indian captain, who was in exceptional form during his innings of 119 runs off 90 balls.

"Wood is delivering at high speed, yet that alone is insufficient on these pitches. Precision is essential; one must execute well and apply pressure on the batsmen. England had no response to Rohit. Whether it was pace on or pace off, Wood was charging in – but Rohit countered every effort. He is an outstanding player and delivered a powerful and elegant performance," he remarked.

Prior, who has represented England in 79 Tests, 68 ODIs, and 10 T20Is, noted that the visiting batsmen seemed out of sorts and that their fielding was subpar.

"England scored over 300 runs, and the opening partnership is functioning well, with Root contributing runs. However, as a team, they do not appear to be in peak form. It is often said that a team's state can be gauged by their fielding, and there were several careless errors."

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