England will enter the Champions Trophy this month on the back of four consecutive one-day international series defeats, their latest loss delivered by the bat of Rohit Sharma.
The veteran batter had faced scrutiny over his recent form, with questions mounting about his future at 37. However, the conditions of a one-day series at home presented a different challenge from a Test tour of Australia, allowing him to reaffirm his status as one of the greats in white-ball cricket. He led India’s charge with a superb 90-ball 119, his 49th international century, guiding his team to a comfortable chase of 305 in Cuttack with four wickets and 5.3 overs to spare.
India’s captain dominated the chase, something England’s batting unit had threatened to do but failed to deliver. While each of their top six reached at least 26 runs, none pushed beyond 70. Ben Duckett and Joe Root managed half-centuries, but their inability to convert those starts into a big score proved costly. Despite setting a target of 305, which should have led to a competitive second innings, Sharma ensured India remained in control throughout. Shubman Gill contributed with a composed 60, and although there was a minor stumble near the end, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja completed the job to secure a 2-0 series lead. The final match in Ahmedabad now carries little significance.
England’s struggles on this tour have been evident, with just one win in seven matches. Their last ODI series victory came before the 2023 World Cup, highlighting a concerning decline. To make matters worse, they suffered a blow when Jacob Bethell sustained a hamstring injury, ruling him out of the Champions Trophy. Tom Banton has been drafted in as cover for the final match of the series, earning his place through strong performances in county and franchise cricket.
Reflecting on the match, England’s white-ball captain Jos Buttler pointed to missed opportunities. “We just needed one or two of us to kick on and play a real innings of note and push our score up to 330-350,” he admitted. “The cycle of the team means there are a few players still gaining experience, and days like this are great lessons. We need to accelerate that learning and keep pushing in the right direction.”
England began positively, with Duckett playing aggressively, reaching his half-century in just 36 balls. However, their struggles against spin proved decisive. Duckett and Phil Salt both fell attempting slog-sweeps, with the left-handed Duckett’s dismissal for 65 proving particularly significant. Without Bethell, he was the only left-hander in England’s lineup, allowing Jadeja to settle into his rhythm against a predominantly right-handed batting order. Jadeja finished with impeccable figures of three for 35 from his 10 overs.
Root and Harry Brook adopted a more cautious approach, sharing a partnership of 66. They recognized the importance of building an innings before accelerating in the latter stages, but Gill produced a moment of brilliance in the field to remove Brook for 31. Another steady stand between Root and Buttler followed, but when the captain departed for 34, England’s hopes of a 330-plus total faded. Even Root, England’s most experienced century-maker in the format, failed to convert his start, falling for 69 while attempting an uncharacteristic big shot off Jadeja’s bowling.
Jamie Overton’s struggles against spin were evident as he failed to execute an aggressive stroke against Jadeja’s final ball. Liam Livingstone played a key role in pushing England past 300, launching a few sixes off Harshit Rana, while Adil Rashid contributed with three consecutive boundaries against Mohammed Shami.
India’s response began with a flurry of aggression from Sharma, who wasted no time in attacking Gus Atkinson and Saqib Mahmood. England missed the express pace of Jofra Archer, who was rested after featuring in every match on this tour. The only disruption to Sharma’s innings came from a brief floodlight failure in the seventh over, causing a half-hour delay. When play resumed, he survived a marginal lbw decision off Mark Wood, with England’s review showing the ball clipping the bails. The very next delivery was dispatched for six, reinforcing the feeling that this was to be his night.
