India secured a four-wicket win against England in the first ODI at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Thursday. With this win, the Men in Blue took a 1-0 lead in the series. Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer played crucial knocks to ensure India’s successful chase.

England’s Innings: A Strong Start but a Middle-Order Collapse

Earlier, England opted to bat after winning the toss. Openers Phil Salt and Ben Duckett gave a flying start. Salt attacked debutant Harshit Rana, smashing two boundaries in his first over. In the sixth over, he went on a rampage, hitting three sixes and two fours for 26 runs.

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Duckett also played well, striking three fours against Axar Patel. Their 75-run stand ended with a brilliant run-out by Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul. Salt scored 43 off 28 balls.

Soon, Harshit got his first ODI wicket, dismissing Duckett for 32. England quickly slipped to 77/2.

Buttler and Bethell Steady England, But Wickets Keep Falling

Harshit continued his attack, removing Harry Brook in the 10th over. At 77/3, England needed a partnership. Captain Jos Buttler and Joe Root tried to rebuild, but Root’s poor form continued. Ravindra Jadeja trapped him leg-before-wicket for just 19 runs.

Buttler found support in Jacob Bethell. Together, they built a 59-run stand. Bethell played patiently, while Buttler attacked the spinners. However, Axar Patel dismissed Buttler in the 34th over. The England skipper scored 52 runs off 67 balls.

India’s Bowlers Dominate the Final Overs

Harshit struck again, dismissing Liam Livingstone for just five runs. Soon, Mohammed Shami knocked over Brydon Carse’s stumps, reducing England to 206/7.

Jadeja then removed Bethell for 51 runs. He also dismissed Adil Rashid, further weakening England’s batting. Finally, Kuldeep Yadav ended England’s innings by stumping Saqib Mahmood. England was all out for 248 in 47.4 overs.

India’s Bowling Attack Shines

Jadeja led the bowling attack with 3/26. Harshit impressed on debut with 3/53, despite being expensive in some overs. Kuldeep, Axar, and Shami chipped in with a wicket each.

India’s Chase: A Rocky Start but a Strong Comeback

Chasing 249, India had a shaky start. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma struggled to build momentum. Jaiswal hit three fours in his 15-run knock, but Jofra Archer dismissed him in the fourth over. Soon after, Rohit fell to Saqib Mahmood for just two runs.

However, Gill and Iyer turned things around. Iyer played an aggressive knock, smashing 59 runs off 36 balls with nine fours and two sixes. He reached his half-century in the 14th over with a stylish boundary. Together, they built a crucial 94-run partnership, putting India back on track. But just when things were looking good, Jacob Bethell dismissed Iyer in the 16th over.

Axar and Gill Build a Winning Partnership

Despite Iyer’s departure, India remained in control. Axar Patel joined Gill and built a solid 108-run stand. Gill played with confidence and reached his fifty in the 25th over. Meanwhile, Axar contributed well, scoring 52 runs off 47 balls with six fours and a six.

As India inched closer to victory, Adil Rashid dismissed Axar in the 34th over. KL Rahul stepped in but couldn’t stay long as Rashid struck again in the 36th over.

Jadeja Seals the Win After Gill’s Departure

Hardik Pandya made an immediate impact, hitting a boundary. However, Saqib Mahmood dismissed Gill in the 37th over, stopping him just 13 runs short of a century.

With only a few runs needed, Ravindra Jadeja stepped in and finished the match in style. He hit the winning runs with a four, remaining unbeaten on 12 off 10 balls. Hardik also stayed not out with 9 runs off 6 balls.

Saqib Mahmood and Adil Rashid led England’s bowling attack, taking two wickets each.

Brief Scores:

  • England: 248 (Jos Buttler 52, Jacob Bethell 51, Phil Salt 43; Ravindra Jadeja 3/26)
  • India: 251/6 (Shubman Gill 87, Shreyas Iyer 59, Axar Patel 52; Saqib Mahmood 2/47)

With this victory, India takes a 1-0 lead in the series. The second ODI will take place on Sunday in Cuttack.