India Take 1-0 Lead in Nagpur After Beating England by 4 Wickets
India secured a four-wicket victory over England in the opening ODI of the three-match series at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Thursday. Chasing England’s total, India rode on impressive half-centuries from Shubman Gill (87), Shreyas Iyer (59), and Axar Patel (52) to clinch the win and take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Earlier, England was invited to bat after Jos Buttler won the toss. The visitors posted a total of 248 runs, with Jacob Bethell (51
) and Jos Buttler (52) leading the charge with half-centuries. Ravindra Jadeja (3/26) and Harshit Rana (3/53) were the standout bowlers for India.
Virat Kohli missed the opening match due to a knee injury, while captain Rohit Sharma’s poor form continued as he was dismissed for just 2 runs. India’s recent struggles followed a string of underwhelming performances against New Zealand, Australia, and in the Ranji Trophy.
The team handed a debut to Harshit Rana, who had earlier impressed with a three-wicket haul in the fourth T20I in Pune. With the match being played on a red-soil surface, India opted for a pace-heavy attack, fielding three seamers to exploit the conditions.
Shreyas Iyer Steps in for Virat Kohli in 1st ODI Against England
Shreyas Iyer revealed after India’s win over England in the first ODI that he was a late addition to the playing XI, stepping in only after Virat Kohli withdrew on match day due to a sore knee. His inclusion came as a surprise to many, as Yashasvi Jaiswal was initially expected to take Kohli’s place in the lineup.
Iyer’s unexpected inclusion underscored India’s tactical adjustments ahead of the Champions Trophy, with head coach Gautam Gambhir reportedly favoring a left-right balance in the batting order. Speaking after the match, Iyer said he had remained mentally prepared for such opportunities, having faced similar last-minute call-ups earlier in his career.
Although Iyer’s attacking style makes him a natural fit for India’s middle order, the team’s current combination — featuring KL Rahul as wicketkeeper and Hardik Pandya in the lower middle order — has left Rishabh Pant out of the ODI setup for now. If Shubman Gill continues to occupy the No. 3 spot, it’s expected that Virat Kohli will shift to No. 4, followed by Axar Patel, Rahul, or Pandya, depending on the match situation.
Iyer, who played a crucial knock of fifty in India’s win, revealed that Rohit Sharma personally informed him about Kohli’s injury the night before the game. “As soon as Rohit bhai called and told me, I went straight to sleep,” Iyer joked after the match.
Commentator Parthiv Patel expressed his surprise at the selection, admitting that most had assumed Yashasvi Jaiswal would be the one to replace Kohli. The upcoming second ODI is expected to shed more light on India’s preferred batting order and team balance for the remainder of the series.
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