Captain Eoin Morgan believes England’s batsmen are developing a ruthless streak to serve them well during the World Cup.
James Taylor and Jos Buttler produced a match-winning 125-run stand to convince Morgan of that as his side booked their place in the Tri-Series final, against Australia on Sunday, with a three-wicket win over India at the WACA Ground.
England appeared as though they were letting the game slip from their grasp when they crashed to 66 for five after their bowlers dismissed India for 200.
But Taylor and Buttler took up the burden of pressure, on a misbehaving surface, with a partnership that owed as much to their desire to haul England home than any flashy strokeplay.
It is a characteristic Morgan feels his side will need if they are to make an impression at the World Cup or, indeed, in Sunday’s final against Australia in Perth.
“The ruthlessness James Taylor and Jos Buttler showed throughout their partnership was brilliant,” he told ecb.co.uk.
“It has been an area of concern in the past where guys haven’t had match-winning partnerships, but throughout this Tri-Series we’ve had a couple partnerships and a couple of match-winning ones like that.
“They showed a lot of character particularly James.
“It is very early on in his international career but to anchor the innings the way that he did, and for Jos to come out and pretty much score at a run-a-ball throughout his whole innings, was outstanding.
“It will serve home well in the long run especially as it got us over the line.”
Taylor claimed the man-of-the-match award for his patient 82, from 122 balls, in an innings that yielded only four boundaries.
Buttler was more fluent as he effectively allowed Taylor to play the anchoring role with 67 from 78 deliveries.
Both men fell with the finishing line well within sight, but the job of completing a third successive one-day international win over the world champions had all but been achieved.
“The guys will be a bit upset that they didn’t see it right through, but we’ve got a win under our belt and we’re into a final on Sunday,” Morgan added.
“We’re really looking forward to that."
Buttler was my guiding force in WACA Ground win - Taylor. STORY: http://t.co/rFbnvEV5bk#ENGvIND#triseriespic.twitter.com/Imc0AvkwIt
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 30, 2015
England were first able to take control of the match thanks to the work of their bowlers, who fought back after India were 83 without loss.
Steven Finn’s 3-36 were the stand-out figures of an all-round performance from the quicks, as Stuart Broad also grabbed his first wickets of the tour as he showed he was on track to rediscovering his best after injury.
“Absolutely. The whole bowling unit worked well today and adapted to conditions,” Morgan added.
“I don’t think, even with the start that India did get - but they never really got that far away from us.
“We still stuck to what we do best, banging our lengths shared with some change-ups, some cross-seamers and some wobble-seamers which is really good.
“The guys communicated that throughout the whole innings which allowed us to fight back and restrict them to a score of 200.”