India vs England: Rohit Sharma fails again, but Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel steer India home.

Rohit Sharma came a cropper, but it was Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyeras well as Axar Patel with his half-ton that stole the show as India proved too much for England as they took a 1-0 lead in this three-match ODI series to be played on Nagpur today. The good batting effort followed the brilliant bowling that kept down the visitors from England to only 248 though they were well-placed in their 8th over having 71-0.

It was all-round from India as they performed well across all departments. India was without Virat Kohli, who was out of the game due to a knee injury he sustained on the eve of the match, and skipper Rohit fell for two runs. However, there were plenty of fifties from Shubman Gill (87), Shreyas Iyer (59), and Axar Patel (52) eased them past the target in 38.4 overs.

Gill recently confessed to losing concentration in the red-ball format. Most of his dismissals in Australia were a sort of “brain fade.” But in the ODI format, where he was India’s best batter leading up to the 2023 ODI World Cup before dengue forced him to miss a couple of matches, he looked at ease. There was no lapse of engagement as he almost took India home.

Gill’s innings on Thursday was a two-part knock. In the first half, he was required to play the second fiddle to Shreyas Iyer, who was at his marauding best before he took charge. Gill picked Archer’s slower delivery and smashed it through square leg. In the same over, Jofra cranked up 145 kph, and Shubman’s bread-and-butter flat-batted pull shot was out. Later in the 27th over, there was another brace of fours off Archer, and the second one in particular captured his poise and skill. He had to wait for the ball on the slightly two-paced pitch and unfurled a lovely late steer past backward point.

He mistimed his short-arm jab pull to Shubman when playing a false shot at the crease that cost him his wicket. In search for some quick runs to finish the innings, Shubman was on 87. He had gone back outside leg but cramped himself for room there. The ball hit his bat twice, lobbing towards mid-on where Jos Buttler took a good catch.