India delivered a strong performance in the first ODI against England, comfortably chasing down a target of 249 with 68 balls to spare in Nagpur. Though they won by four wickets, the victory could have been even smoother if not for a late stutter.
England, playing their first ODI under head coach Brendon McCullum, struggled to build a big total. Openers Phil Salt (43 off 26) and Ben Duckett gave them a solid start, but their innings quickly fell apart.
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Harshit Rana, making his ODI debut, impressed with 3 for 53, while Ravindra Jadeja was outstanding with 3 for 26. England managed to post 248, thanks to captain Jos Buttler (52) and Jacob Bethell (51), but it was never enough against a confident Indian batting lineup.
India’s chase started shakily as Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Rohit Sharma were dismissed early, leaving them at 19 for 2. However, Shubman Gill (87) and Shreyas Iyer (59) steadied the innings with a crucial 94-run partnership. Iyer was aggressive, hitting quick boundaries and putting pressure on the English bowlers.
Axar Patel, promoted up the order, played a key role in easing the chase with an attacking 52. He and Gill added 108 runs, making India’s win look effortless. Gill survived an LBW scare through DRS and brought up his 14th ODI half-century, his first against England.
With just 48 runs needed in 21 overs, the match was all but won. However, Axar was bowled by Adil Rashid, and Gill, eyeing a century, mistimed a shot to mid-on. KL Rahul also fell cheaply, leading to a minor collapse where India lost three wickets for just four runs.
Despite the shaky finish, Jadeja edged a delivery past the keeper to seal the win. India now lead the three-match series 1-0, while England must regroup after another disappointing performance following their 4-1 loss in the T20I series.
England’s middle order struggled after Salt’s promising start. A mix-up between Salt and Duckett led to the first wicket, and Rana struck twice in quick succession, dismissing Duckett and Harry Brook. Joe Root, playing his first ODI since the 2023 World Cup, tried to stabilize the innings but fell to Jadeja after a slow 51-ball stay.
Bethell and Buttler attempted to rebuild with a 59-run partnership, but once Buttler fell to Axar, England’s lower order crumbled. Bethell reached a well-earned fifty, but he too was dismissed by Jadeja. Late hitting from Jofra Archer (21*) gave England a slight boost, but their total was never challenging for India.
India’s dominant performance with both bat and ball showed why they remain one of the strongest ODI teams, while England will need a much-improved effort in the next match to stay alive in the series.
Updated on 07 February, 2025 by MyFortune11 Team.