Looking back, the deterioration had begun well before the squad announcement. Once they arrived in India, virtually nothing unfolded as per the initial plan.

The Narendra Modi Stadium witnessed a mass exodus from the stands as Adil Rashid's shot confirmed England's elimination from the group stage. England's World Cup concluded not with a triumphant finish but rather a subdued exit, leaving the once-double world champions as mere shells of their former selves.

The downfall had initiated well before the squad announcement, and upon their arrival in India, the execution of plans faltered dramatically. The unforeseen implosion led to a surprising scenario where a team of England's caliber found themselves in a week-long battle for seventh place with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Netherlands.

Even the few pundits who anticipated England's failure to reach the semi-finals couldn't have foreseen the depth of the team's collapse. Captain Jos Buttler's pre-tournament assertion that they weren't defending anything echoed hauntingly throughout the five weeks, as past glories failed to sustain them.

A month later, on the same outfield in Ahmedabad, Buttler, wearing a beleaguered expression, acknowledged the tournament as a low point. The team's underwhelming performance left them far from the high hopes they carried into India, and the captain admitted they hadn't done justice to their potential.

The question lingered: How could a team boasting numerous world-class players suffer such a spectacular underperformance? Ben Stokes bluntly summed it up, stating, "The problem is that we've been crap." Every issue in England's preparation and misstep in India became magnified with each loss, eroding the deep-rooted confidence that had fueled their past success. The players seemed collectively paralyzed, unable to address the unfolding nightmare on the field.

The systemic causes:

The decline of this team unfolded in two phases: first, a gradual deterioration followed by a sudden plunge. England faced persistent challenges in maintaining competitiveness across all three formats. After securing the World Cup at Lord's in 2019, ODIs swiftly diminished in priority. The focus shifted to consecutive T20 World Cups, with the white-ball teams aligning their strategies accordingly. When Rob Key assumed the role of managing director in May last year, he prioritized Test cricket, marking a notable shift in emphasis.


Following the pandemic, England's ODI schedule faced disruption, turning into an irregular series of rescheduled events that often coincided with Test tours. To address player workloads and mitigate the risk of talent draining towards franchise leagues, multi-format players saw limited participation in 50-over cricket. In the winters of 2020-21 and 2021-22, England played only three ODIs away from home, and between World Cups, they contested merely six ODIs in Asia.

The once-established stability and consistent selection that contributed to England's 50-over success vanished. Between the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, England played 88 ODIs, utilizing 34 players, with 12 participating in over half of the matches. In the 2019-23 cycle, they played just 42 ODIs, employing 44 players, and only eight of them featured in at least half of the matches.

Prominent one-day players for England found limited opportunities in 50-over cricket, making it challenging to confidently assert their status as the best in the format. The emerging generation had minimal chances to make their case or gain experience in 50-over cricket, particularly with the domestic one-day competition coinciding with the Hundred in August.

Jason Roy, a notable figure who featured consistently, experienced a decline, averaging 31.78 in the latter period despite earlier centuries in South Africa and Bangladesh this year. Although he retained his place in the ODI setup after missing out on last year's T20 World Cup, he was eventually dropped two and a half weeks before the World Cup.

"We acknowledged that there was an element of uncertainty. We were aware that comparing different players and making selections involved a degree of guesswork," remarked Matthew Mott during the World Cup. Appointed as England's white-ball coach in May 2022, Mott, like Key, had the responsibility of sustaining success and then spearheading a rebuilding phase. His oversight covered 18 ODIs before the World Cup squad was finalized, often without access to a full roster of players.

However, the selection process faced challenges exacerbated by inadequate communication, a recurring issue during England's World Cup campaign. National selector Luke Wright unintentionally exemplified this by disclosing, five minutes into a Zoom press conference in September, that the squad announced to face New Zealand was also England's planned World Cup squad.

Despite being, at best, the fourth-most influential figure in the Trent Bridge selection meeting, behind Buttler, Mott, and Key, Wright found himself explaining decisions in his first formal media interaction in the role. Players received confirmation of their World Cup inclusion, only for Buttler and Mott to publicly emphasize that the squad was provisional.

England struggled to control the narrative, with Mott disclosing in a pre-selection newspaper interview that Buttler would discuss Stokes' potential return from his one-day retirement. Additionally, there was a "high chance" of including a partially fit Jofra Archer. Eventually, Archer's medical reports led to his exclusion from the provisional squad, but the unexpected omission was that of Harry Brook.

Brook, though privately devastated, showcased resilience with a century for Northern Superchargers, prompting England to reconsider their decision—especially as he continued his impressive form in the T20I series against New Zealand. Prior to the final game of that series, Mott hinted in a Sky interview that the World Cup squad could undergo changes, suggesting a possible inclusion for Brook.

Despite concerns, there was an overarching belief that everything would seamlessly align. The success of Buttler, Mott, and Key in the 2022 T20 World Cup fostered a sense of complacency.

Reflecting on this, Key admitted, "I made the mistake of thinking that it will be all right when we get there. We assumed that, despite minimal 50-over cricket, this team, being so strong, would effortlessly revert to old habits and secure victories." The T20 World Cup build-up faced similar disarray, but things clicked in Australia after a seven-match tour to Pakistan. England hoped that their four-match series against New Zealand before the ODI World Cup would play a similar role.

On the surface, it appeared successful. Following a heavy defeat in Cardiff, England bounced back from 55 for 5 to win the second game in Southampton, securing the series with two victories in London. While Dawid Malan showcased excellent form, Liam Livingstone seamlessly transitioned back into 50-over cricket, and Reece Topley made valuable contributions with the new ball. Stokes, in his third game back, smashed 182 at The Oval, marking England's highest individual ODI score.

However, beneath the series' positive outcome lay some issues. Players were uneasy about the potential last-minute inclusion of Brook and Archer—especially after Archer seemed close to full fitness during training at The Oval—and felt they were playing for their spots. Malan expressed uncertainty, stating, "Until you're on the plane, you never really know if you're on it or not," after securing his place with a match-winning century at Lord's.


Buttler expressed frustration with England deviating from their strengths in the first two ODIs against New Zealand, urging the top order to adopt a more aggressive approach. Additionally, the absence of Mark Wood in all four matches due to a bruised heel, and Rashid playing only once due to a calf niggle, meant England didn't decide on their side's balance until they arrived in India.

Wood's injury occurred in the final days of the Ashes, a series that involved seven of the eventual World Cup squad and left them physically and mentally fatigued heading to India. In 2019, England peaked at the World Cup and managed to secure a draw in the Ashes; four years later, the sequence was reversed.

Roy was dropped after the last New Zealand ODI at Lord's, having missed all four games due to poorly timed back spasms. The decision came late in the cycle, leaving Malan and Jonny Bairstow, England's new opening pair, with only two prior partnerships before the World Cup. While it was the correct decision, it was deemed untimely.

England's arrival in India was delayed by 12 days after the Lord's match, and they faced a demanding 38-hour journey involving transfers in Dubai and Mumbai before a late-night flight to Guwahati on a budget airline. This unnecessarily hectic start to the trip could have been avoided with an earlier departure.

However, the coaching staff, short of work throughout the summer due to a six-month gap between white-ball fixtures, had to manage three ODIs against Ireland before the World Cup. Mott mentioned, "I'm not sure how we could have got out any earlier." The consensus was that facing relatively weak opposition before the World Cup held little merit. Key stated, "It would have been three more games in conditions nothing like what we have [in India]."

Consequently, England fielded a second-string side against Ireland. The series seemed to occur primarily due to broadcast deals and host agreements with counties, signed long before the World Cup dates were finalized. While Australia played in India, and New Zealand toured Bangladesh, England used the weeks before the 2023 World Cup to conduct auditions for the 2027 edition.

Off-field distractions:

While the World Cup squad was theoretically on a break, the reality involved discussions with their agents about central contract offers. Most players contemplated whether to commit to multi-year deals or keep their options open. Many players delayed their decisions, with Topley, for instance, not signing his one-year contract until four games into the tournament.


As the squad gathered at Lord's for a Professional Cricketers' Association lunch on the day of their departure, David Willey learned that he was the sole player heading to India without a contract. Despite immersing himself in the World Cup, organizing treks in Dharamsala under the banner of "Dave's Tours," being the odd man out presented challenges.

Upon landing in India, another hurdle emerged. When Stokes arrived in Guwahati, he had only played three games in two months, managing a chronic left-knee injury that required surgery. This restricted him to a specialist batter role, complicating the team's balance compared to 2019.

The relief of their first warm-up match against India being washed out allowed players to return to the Radisson Blu Hotel early. During this time, Stokes, while doing lunges with strength and conditioning coach Andy Mitchell, experienced a concerning moment when his hip made a "pop" sound. For 36 hours, he feared his World Cup was over before it began, but scans revealed no serious injury, though he was ruled out of the initial tournament matches.

As England prepared for their opening game against New Zealand, players were taken aback by the sparse attendance at the Narendra Modi Stadium, even considering the 2 pm start on a working day. Joe Root expressed surprise, saying, "Opening World Cup match, [teams from the] previous final? I expected more people to be there." Accustomed to full houses in India, the emptiness was a departure from their usual experiences in the IPL and international cricket.

Subsequently, England played like a team struggling to grasp the rhythms of 50-over cricket. Bairstow and Livingstone were dismissed in the deep while attempting half-hearted attacking shots. Malan, Buttler, and Sam Curran defensively edged behind, and Chris Woakes lacked control over his length. Wood faced a pounding from Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra. The XI, never having played together before, showed signs of unfamiliarity.


Players were unnerved by the apparent ease of batting under floodlights for New Zealand, contrasting with England's earlier struggles during the day. Concerns emerged that the tournament might follow the pattern of the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE: win the toss, win the game. Root, top-scoring with 77, noted "drastic" changes in conditions, and Livingstone quipped, "Hopefully Jos is going to get really good at the toss." Despite Buttler winning seven of the next eight tosses, it didn't significantly benefit England.

A week later, as they arrived in Delhi, England's outlook improved. They rebounded with a 137-run win over Bangladesh in Dharamsala, led by Malan's 140 and Root's second consecutive half-century. The team's balance appeared stronger with Topley replacing Moeen Ali. Facing Afghanistan, who had suffered two heavy defeats, England found themselves in a favorable position, with Afghanistan carrying a 14-game World Cup losing streak across three editions. Despite earlier build-up errors, England seemed well-placed.

However, they struggled to match the pace in the match against Afghanistan. Woakes sent the first ball down the leg side, fumbled by Buttler, putting Afghanistan at 5 for 0 without facing a legitimate delivery. Recognizing the optimal time to bat against the new ball, Afghanistan raced to 106 for 0 after 14 overs. Although England managed to pull things back through spinners Livingstone and Rashid, a late surge allowed Afghanistan to reach 284.

England's decisions were influenced by the high-scoring nature of the first two games in Delhi during the World Cup. Buttler pointed to India's choice of Shardul Thakur over R Ashwin as a factor behind England's preference for Curran over Moeen, anticipating a similar pitch and potential dew in the second half.

On a traditional Feroz Shah Kotla pitch that slowed down, England struggled against Afghanistan's spinners, showing deference and playing tentative shots. Key, joining the tour in Delhi, expressed concern about losing their identity and failing to set the tone, whether with bat or ball. England posted a modest 215, with Brook's 66 off 61 being the only significant contribution.

Mott sensed a lack of confidence, a team that "didn't really fire a shot." In the dressing room, he reminded them of their ability to bounce back from similar situations in previous World Cups, hoping to instill the sense of knockout jeopardy that had spurred their best performances in 2019 and 2022. With Buttler fatigued after media engagements, Stokes stepped up to reinforce the message.

Mixed messaging:

The following week in Mumbai was marked by mixed messaging. England, shaken by a second defeat, needed to respond, yet they still had six games left and could afford more losses. Mott, in a candid assessment, acknowledged the players' struggle for the rhythm of 50-over cricket and stressed the importance of dominating the first 15 overs. However, Bairstow's public remarks contradicted this strategy, advocating for a gradual build-up before a late launch, seemingly ignoring Rohit Sharma's rapid starts and going against Mott's coaching emphasis.

Privately, a player voiced concerns about individualistic batting rather than a team approach, prompting a rethink with Stokes' return. Mott initially dismissed the idea of "wholesale changes," but England made three changes against South Africa, bringing in Stokes, Willey, and Gus Atkinson for Livingstone, Curran, and Woakes. Moeen was once again left out, deviating from their strengths of versatility and batting depth, leaving four allrounders on the bench, with Willey at No. 7 beneath six specialist batters.

England's major misstep occurred at 1:33 pm when South Africa's stand-in captain Aiden Markram lost the toss. Buttler opted to bowl, citing the ground's history favoring chasing teams, backed by a limited sample size of four ODIs over a decade at the Wankhede. However, the data primarily stemmed from IPL games played under floodlights, unlike the day game conditions faced.

England appeared to underestimate the impact of the intense 38-degree heat and humidity on their players. Mott acknowledged the weather was hotter than anticipated. South Africa, recovering from a loss to Netherlands, preferred batting first due to the heat, a sentiment echoed by Heinrich Klaasen, who later made a century against an exhausted England attack.

Despite planning to bowl South Africa out quickly, England faced challenges exacerbated by an early injury to Topley, who fractured his index finger while fielding. Buttler, needing wickets, had Root bowl 6.1 overs after Topley's injury. When Topley returned, England's desperation showed, with Moeen running drinks, Buttler running between the stumps and bowlers' run-ups, and senior players stationed on the rope. The chaotic scene led Mott to describe it as resembling "a war zone."

By the time England batted, the players were fatigued. Bairstow's early dismissal left them at 68 for 6 in the 12th over. Wood's partnership with debutant Gus Atkinson for the ninth wicket, although ironic given England's initial plan to take the game deep, couldn't salvage the situation. If they had executed their original strategy, the dew might have favored England.


Key lamented the absence of staff with relevant local experience in England's backroom. In contrast to the T20 World Cup, where Australian conditions prompted the hiring of consultants, no such appointments were made for India. The camp's insularity and lack of diverse voices became apparent, with players focused on individual issues rather than the collective strategy. The oversight at the toss, obvious in hindsight, wasn't adequately discussed beforehand.

Topley's injury deprived England of their top wicket-taker and revealed a communication failure. Despite officials labeling Archer as a "reserve," he was sent home when Topley's scans confirmed a fracture, leaving England scrambling. The team suggested Archer was never seriously considered, but reports later revealed he had reported elbow pain during a brief net session.

Out of control:

Arriving in Bengaluru for the Sri Lanka game, England's title defense appeared doomed. Buttler and Mott, reacting to the third defeat, seemed resigned despite New Zealand advancing with four losses. Root took media responsibility but inadvertently questioned the relevance of the 50-over format. This raised doubts about the squad's hunger for success in 2023, with many players having already won a World Cup. The tournament, once a pinnacle, seemed an afterthought compared to previous campaigns.


Amidst central contract negotiations, Key, fearing leaks about Stokes rejecting a three-year deal, announced them during the tournament. Despite players' lack of recent focus on contracts, an ageing underperforming squad signing multi-year deals felt unusual. England reverted to their initial balance, favoring allrounders in the lower middle order. This meant excluding Brook, the third highest run-scorer, while recalling Livingstone, Moeen, and Woakes. It was a nod to the old guard, with all 11 players aged 30 or more.

In the match against Sri Lanka, Buttler won the toss and chose to bat, but England's batters, including Buttler himself, lacked rhythm and form, folding for 156. Mathews, at 36, came into Sri Lanka's side, taking his first international wickets in over three years and running out Root. Moeen's dismissal epitomized England's batting struggles, torn between urging teammates to "go out with a bang" and indecision when cutting Mathews to point.

Once masters of cruising through middle overs with a quick tempo and low-risk options, England's approach waned. In the 2019 World Cup, they averaged nearly 60 from overs 11 to 40, scoring just over six runs per over. In 2023, these numbers plummeted to 29 and 5.5, with only Netherlands losing more wickets in the middle overs during the group stage. Key remarked, "Everyone else has now caught up with the bat. We've not evolved at all."

After Sri Lanka's convincing win, Buttler expressed shock and wondered how they found themselves in this position despite the talent in the dressing room. Downplaying long-term systemic factors, he asserted, "I don't think there's any blame elsewhere apart from ourselves."


With their net run rate severely damaged, England faced near elimination as they arrived in Lucknow. India, the undefeated hosts and favorites, awaited them, along with Eoin Morgan, Buttler's predecessor. Speaking on Sky Sports before the match, Morgan sharply criticized the team, stating, "I've never come across a sports team that has underperformed like this England team."

Morgan's suggestion of "something else going on" beyond simultaneous player losses of form was widely interpreted as a hint at a dressing-room rift. Although the team downplayed this notion publicly and privately, some players felt Morgan was stirring the pot. Mott vehemently denied it, but Morgan's comments did little to help his case.

Despite a strong start on the field, restricting India to 229 in front of a packed crowd, an off-field row erupted. The ICC informed English journalists that World Cup finishing positions would determine qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy, a decision made in 2021 but never publicly announced. England, learning of this through the media, were blindsided. Team manager Wayne Bentley informed Mott during the chase, and Buttler was briefed just before the post-match presentation. While the team accepted it as an oversight due to personnel changes at the ECB, they were privately puzzled why the ICC hadn't announced this before the World Cup.

The buildup to a 33-run defeat to Australia in Ahmedabad was dominated by Willey's announcement of his retirement at the tournament's end. Woakes took four wickets as Australia posted 286: his growing impact brought scrutiny to England's preparation and the decision to leave him out against South Africa, a move Buttler had publicly supported.

In the chase, Malan contributed exactly 50, while Stokes, who had announced plans for knee surgery after the tournament, scored 64. Buttler's poor campaign continued with an innings of 1 off 7, caught at long-off attempting to hit Zampa for six. Only Netherlands averaged fewer runs per wicket against spin in the group stage.

In the third consecutive match, England's thirtysomething squad displayed their age in the field, struggling against the youthful energy of Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green, who ran them ragged. Age couldn't serve as an excuse, with David Warner, at 37, showcasing fitness patrolling the boundary, older than anyone in England's squad.

The Australia defeat marked Livingstone's final appearance of the tournament. His six overs cost 42, and he managed only 2 off five balls, ending with an aggregate of 60 in six innings, remarkably without hitting a single six. Livingstone and Curran, intended to revitalize the squad, fell short despite their IPL experience, highlighting the differences between the white-ball formats.

The last week of the tournament brought significant improvement, especially with the bat. Malan, Stokes, and Woakes led the way in a comfortable win over Netherlands in Pune. Stokes again top-scored in the victory against Pakistan in Kolkata, with Bairstow and Root registering their first half-centuries in over a month. While these results spared England the embarrassment of missing the Champions Trophy, it didn't erase the earlier shortcomings.

The squad's extended block of 50-over cricket together for the first time in years allowed them to find the rhythm of the format, demonstrating their strength. Mott credited the squad's "tenacity and resilience," emphasizing professionalism and dispelling the narrative of diminished authority.

Despite the late resurgence, the recriminations had begun. Just 12 hours after Woakes dismissed Haris Rauf for England's third victory, new squads for the Caribbean tour in December were announced, with Key taking much responsibility for England's struggles during a media briefing in Kolkata. The cricket show rolled on.


An insider succinctly labeled England's campaign with the phrase "stuff happens." Having reached the semi-finals in five consecutive ICC events and securing victory in two, perhaps they were bound for a challenging tournament. Despite possessing abundant white-ball talent and a clear team identity, England's stark failure in India should serve as a trigger for refocusing rather than a need for a complete overhaul.

The past six weeks will be remembered in history as a grim tour, resembling an Ashes whitewash. In most sports, a string of two or three World Cup defeats suffices to send a team home. However, England's players found themselves enduring the agony of traveling across India, waiting for the dismal chapter to conclude. Checking into yet another hotel room in another city, their title defense crumbled.

While this disappointing campaign doesn't diminish the preceding achievements, marking a truly great era with England's unprecedented dual status as reigning champions in men's World Cups, the trajectory of success has inevitably encountered a spectacular failure.