Though he himself managed to score only two runs, India captain Rohit Sharma has credited the bowlers for India’s four-wicket victory over England in the first ODI of the three-match series in Nagpur.
England made a great start, winning the toss and choosing to bat, after Phil Salt and Ben Duckett scored 75 runs in 8.4 overs. A run-out for Salt started a collapse as England went from 75/0 to 77/3 and never really regained its footing, eventually managing just 248 runs, with half-centuries by Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell.
India’s bowlers changed the game, with Ravindra Jadeja (3/26) and Harshit Rana (3/53) leading the attack. Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, and Kuldeep Yadav also chipped in with a wicket each.
Speaking about the performance at the post-match presentation, Sharma said, “Pretty happy. We all knew we were playing this format after a long time. Right from the start, we played as expected. They started well, but the way we came back was superb.”
Rohit Sharma Elaborates Why Axar Patel Was Given Promotion Over KL Rahul
The dramatic turn came during India’s chase as Shreyas Iyer was dismissed at 59, leaving the team on 119/3. Axar Patel was picked ahead of KL Rahul to bat at No. 5 and went on to play a match-winning knock of 52 off 47 balls, combining with Shubman Gill to make a crucial 108-run stand.
Sharma explained his reasoning to go for Axar ahead of Rahul. “We wanted a left-hander to counter Adil Rashid,” he said.
Rohit Sharma Hails Bowlers After India’s Thrilling 1st ODI Win Against England
India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, was full of praise for his bowlers despite a quiet personal outing with just two runs as India pulled off a four-wicket win over England in the first ODI of the three-match series in Nagpur.
England started very well by winning the toss and choosing to bat and raised a 75-run addition of 8.4 overs between Phil Salt and Ben Duckett. But that moment soon changed, with Salt being run out as a result, changing the entire scenario. England was from 75/0 to 77/3. Half-centuries from Jos Buttler (52) and Jacob Bethell (51) weren’t enough for England in its innings, and it could score only 248 runs.
Indian bowlers were excellent, but Ravindra Jadeja (3/26) and debutant Harshit Rana (3/53) were the best. Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, and Kuldeep Yadav played significant roles as well as taking one wicket each.
Reflecting on the performance in the post-match presentation, Rohit Sharma shared, “I’m pretty happy. We all knew we were getting back into this format after a long break, and we played as expected. They got off to a strong start, but the way we came back was superb.”
Sharma Explains Axar Patel’s Promotion Over KL Rahul
During India’s chase, after Shreyas Iyer was dismissed for 59, India found themselves at 119/3. Instead of sending KL Rahul, Axar Patel was promoted to No. 5, and he responded with a match-winning knock of 52 off 47 balls. Axar’s 108-run partnership with Shubman Gill was instrumental in India’s successful chase.
Sharma said that it was a tactical decision to promote Axar because they wanted to counter England’s leg-spinner, Adil Rashid, with a left-hander.
IND vs ENG 2025: Key Stats After 1st ODI, Nagpur
India won the first ODI by four wickets and took a 1-0 lead in the series.
England came very nicely initially through the opening partnership of Phil Salt and Ben Duckett (75), but a very dramatic collapse led to the dwindling down of the English team to 77/3. With contributions from Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell, England could only muster up to post 248 runs, while India’s bowlers kept the pressure on, mainly Ravindra Jadeja with 3/26 and Harshit Rana with 3/53.
Shreyas Iyer (59) and Shubman Gill (87) then steadied the ship in India’s run chase after openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma departed early. Axar Patel’s 52* and Iyer’s match-winning innings saw India chase down the target quite comfortably to win the game by four wickets.
Most Runs of the Series So Far:
1. Shubman Gill (IND) – 87 runs
2. Shreyas Iyer (IND) – 59 runs
3. Jos Buttler (ENG) – 52 runs
4. Axar Patel (IND) – 52 runs
5. Jacob Bethell (ENG) – 51 runs
Series Leading Wicket-Takers:
1. Ravindra Jadeja (IND) – 3 wickets
2. Harshit Rana (IND) – 3 wickets
3. Saqib Mahmood (ENG) – 2 wickets
4. Adil Rashid (ENG) – 2 wickets
5. Jacob Bethell (ENG) – 1 wicket
