“If we lose 3-0 to India, I don’t care as long as we beat them in the final in the Champions Trophy,” said England opener Ben Duckett earlier this month. The first part happened, but the second most certainly did not. The latest reverse – a tenth in 13 ODIs – has seen the 2007 runners-up exit the Champions Trophy at the earliest possible stage at the hands of Afghanistan in Lahore. English cricket could do with a period of quiet rebuilding and less talk.

The fact that Duckett talked openly about a whitewash to the Indians a couple of weeks ago was educational, even if it was considered as a statement of intent. The casual vocalization of defeats has leaked into the dressing room and the side’s mindset. Wednesday’s eight-run loss was another dismal showing for a team that used to enter any white-ball competition as favorites. Every game came with a plan and a purpose. Now the moments to strike are missed and game management is loose.

There were numerous chances for England to get hold of the match, especially when Jofra Archer reduced the Afghans to 37 for 3 in the first powerplay. That score turned into 325 after Ibrahim Zadran smashed 177, the highest-ever individual innings in the competition. England’s bodies and minds fell apart as Mark Wood broke down, Duckett fumbled in the field, and an air of resignation hovered around hunched shoulders. Jonathan Trott’s side scored 108 off the last nine overs in the carnage.

Jos Buttler’s captaincy under new white-ball coach Brendon McCullum was supposed to be a refresh, a new power duo who have been mates since way back. It hasn’t sparked and the Buttler smile was as forced as McCullum’s colorful motivational word salads. “As soon as you catch yourself thinking about any negative things, you just try and completely forget that and focus on all of the positive things that could go right and where you can take the team,” the skipper said before the match. The 34-year-old has presided over 22 defeats in 34 matches since taking over in 2022.

It is true enough that English cricket doesn’t have the respect for 50-over cricket that led to the glorious denouement against New Zealand at Lord’s six years ago. Times and priorities have changed. Eoin Morgan took a grip on the team in 2014 and ensured that whatever the differences in personality and culture, the unit was tight.

Those peak years now seem like a short golden era that has now given way to an age where hitters deliver cameos more suited to the animated short of white-ball cricket, the Hundred. What’s fun there doesn’t cut it over 100 overs. England’s elite white-ball stars do not have any domestic 50-over cricket to train for these scenarios.

England are relying on the old school of Archer, Adil Rashid, Buttler, and Joe Root, and to a certain extent that has worked in an uncomfortable retro way. Root’s brilliant 120 kept them in the hunt against Afghanistan on Wednesday just as Duckett’s 165 did on Saturday. Archer has toured with the squad as a non-playing member for years in the hope that he can be that 2019 tyrant again after a spate of injuries. In the first spell at Lahore he showed who he was six years ago. In the 44^th over, he went for 20.

After the debacle of the 2023 World Cup campaign, where England lost six out of their nine matches, there’s been a very average performance in the T20 World Cup and now a forgettable campaign at this on and off ICC tournament.

England have shown a certain flippancy towards white-ball cricket since winning the 2019 World Cup. Their one-dimensional pace attack might be “bowling rockets” as McCullum says, but has been too predictable, offering ready-salted, unoriginal flavors that don’t hit the sweet spot enough. Liam Livingstone and Root’s part-time spin are not going to cut it as a back-up to Rashid.

There are always cycles of success and England have come to the end of this particular road. Changes will be made as Buttler will surely cede the captaincy. Harry Brook is very much the future of English cricket and, despite poor form, could well pick up the ball and move to the next step.

The optics at the moment are of an old tardis that is stuck in a time warp. English cricket reached its former low against Bangladesh at the 2015 World Cup when a young and vibrant Buttler scored a fighting 50. Ten years later, he looks wearied and resigned.