A classy 80 from captain Shubman Gill and half-centuries from all rounders Axar Patel and Washington Sundar helped India take an early 1-0 lead in their ODI series against England at Edgbaston.
Catching much better
India’s fielding and catching had left much to be desired in the T20’s, but they put on a vastly improved show in Edgbaston and it was central to their win here. England’s openers had made 60 odd off the first twelve overs before a fine low diving catch from Washington Sundar ended Jacob Bethell’s innings. Jasprit Bumrah then took a stunner on the boundary to dismiss the dangerous Ben Duckett, and KL Rahul took an excellent one-handed catch to dismiss Will Jacks just as he was beginning to look dangerous.
It saw England slip from 61/0 to 107/6 and ensured their batsmen didn’t replicate the success of their T20 series win. Despite the best efforts of Joe Root and Liam Dawson, England finished with a below-par 258, and India comfortably chased it down with about five overs to spare.
Returning players show class
India brought back their big guns for this ODI series, with the likes of Gill, Bumrah and veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli all returning to the XI. England made only two changes from the T20 side, with Duckett and Root coming in for Salt and Banton respectively.
Bumrah’s miserliness with the new ball ensured England didn’t get off to a flying start, and he also took out Harry Brook- England’s captain and India’s nemesis in the T20 series, cheaply in his second spell.
Gill was all class with his 80 (75). He scored at over a run a ball, and ensured India never fell behind the required rate. It also allowed batsmen at the other end like Shreyas Iyer to ease their way into the game on a tricky pitch. Even when Gill had to retire hurt, the RR was less than 5 an over, and Sundar and Axar could take the visitors home without too many risks.
The presence of Gill, Bumrah and Hardik Pandya is a key reason why India will be among the favourites at the likes of ChopWin when the 50-over World Cup returns to Africa next year.
Root plays lone hand
England had two collapses with the bat- first from 61/0 to 107/6, and then at the end when 250/7 after 45.5 became 258 all out. If the tail had wagged and given Joe Root some support- he was 76 not out at the end, the hosts might have ended up with 280-290 instead of the 258 they managed. As it turned out, the 258 was just one run more than what they got against the same opponents in the last T20, and it was well under-par against a strong Indian side that batted deep.
Coach Brendon McCullum, relieved of the test duties, will be hoping that his charges can replicate the success of the T20 series in the ODI’s. His team will get an immediate chance at redemption with the next one at Cardiff on Thursday- barely 48 hours after this one in Birmingham.
Indian skipper Gill, who was retired hurt, has said he should be fit for the Cardiff game, and the visitors will be hoping that their Ro-Ko pair also come to the party after rare failures with the bat at Edgbaston- Rohit made 11 (21) while Kohli was dismissed by Archer for 5.