After striking a dominating win 4-1 in the T20 series against England in the beginning of the year, India kick started the ODI series by hammering the visitors in Nagpur on Thursday. The hosts restricted England at 248 runs, an easily gettable score. In the second innings, India reached the target scoring 251 with a loss of 6 wickets, securing victory by 4 wickets still 68 deliveries to spare.

Let’s say the win came over with an incredible performance both with the bat and the ball. England was declared all out at the score of 248 runs, with Ravindra Jadeja’s 3 for 26 and Harshit Rana in his maiden ODI appearance 3 for 53. From England’s side, the top scorers were Jos Buttler (52), Jacob Bethell (51) and Phil Salt’s 43 in the beginning that was washed away in vain.

Virat Kohli was ruled out from the first ODI match owing to a right knee injury. Shubhman Gill stepped in place to bat playing a thrilling knock of 87 runs. Other outstanding performances by the Indian side with the bat were of Shreyas Iyer (59) and Axar Patel (52).

India stood initially with 19-2, Gill and Iyer balanced it well, with Axar’s start up the order. This was Shubhman Gill’s 14^th fifty, that came for the first time against England. India needed only 48 runs from the last 21 overs.

The match reflected upon England’s shortcomings with the bat, with three wickets collapsing in a span of eight deliveries. Earlier, which was an opening stand of 75 runs between Salt and Duckett was later on converted to a 77-3.

Both the teams stood quite similar between 15^th to 20^th overs in comparison. England were 111 for 4 in the 20^th over, while India was 111-3 in their 16^th over. Notably, this was Jos Buttler’s 38^th 50+ score in ODIs.

England somehow made it to a respectable score, as it looked to be. But India simply made it possible well enough, actually crushing it without showing any kind of respect.

The next match of the three match ODI series between India and England is scheduled on Sunday, 9^th February 2025 at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack.