Nasser Hussain highlights England's white-ball struggles ahead of 2nd ODI
What's the story
Former England captain Nasser Hussain has stressed the importance of the next few months for England's white-ball cricket team.
Hussain's statement comes as the team gears up for its second One Day International (ODI) against India on Sunday.
The focus is on getting their batting rhythm right in this format, after a disappointing four-wicket loss to India in Nagpur.
Performance review
England's performance in India: A closer look
The ongoing ODI series is a precursor to the ICC Champions Trophy, which starts on February 19.
England's recent loss in Nagpur came after a 4-1 defeat in the T20 series that opened their India tour.
On the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Hussain admitted India's phenomenal depth but added England's white-ball game has been "way off where it was" under Eoin Morgan and Trevor Bayliss.
Game plan
England's strategy for improvement in 2nd ODI
Ahead of the first ODI, England captain Jos Buttler stressed on an aggressive batting approach despite their T20 series losses.
After Thursday's defeat, he said the team "need to play better for longer, we need to execute our plans better."
Hussain also highlighted issues with handling spin from Indian bowlers and suggested improvements in this area could be key to future success.
Strategy analysis
Hussain's take on England's aggressive approach
Hussain observed that every time England loses, questions are raised about their too-aggressive approach.
He highlighted Joe Root's role as an anchor in the team and said that knowing how long to bat and when to change their aggression could be the key for England.
"So maybe that's McCullum's point, we've got to take a bit of pain to work out the tempo," he added.