Nagpur: After Ravindra Jadeja and Harshit Rana's three-fer, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel's fifties helped India record a comprehensive victory over England by 4 wickets at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium here on Thursday, February 6. Notably, this was India's first home ODI since the 2023 ODI World Cup final.
Gill scored his 14 ODI half-century with the help of 14 fours, striking at 90.62. Iyer (59 off 36 balls) smashed a quick-fire 30-ball fifty despite being playing his first international match after nearly 7 months. Patel (52 off 47 balls), promoted to bat number 5, proved the faith shown by the captain and coach with his quick-fire fifty. This came after Jadeja's record-breaking three-wicket haul and Harshit Rana's dream debut in the first innings.
Fifties from Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel do the job for India in the first ODI 🙌#INDvENG 📝: https://t.co/O3Pk2D1qSL pic.twitter.com/IfGkdruRDb
— ICC (@ICC) February 6, 2025
In reply to the 248-run target, India lost both their openers Rohit Sharma (2) and debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal (15) early as the hosts were reeling at 19/2 after 5.2 overs. But then Gill showed great temperament and played second fiddle to ultra-aggressive Iyer. Both the batters stitched a 108-run partnership of just 107 balls.
For his impressive 8⃣7⃣-run knock in the chase, vice-captain Shubman Gill bags the Player of the Match award! 👍 👍
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 6, 2025
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/lWBc7oPRcd#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/7ERlZcopxR
After Iyer's dismissal, Axar joined Gill as the team management decided to keep the left-right combination in the middle to tackle leg-spinner Adil Rashid and a left-arm spinner Jacob Bethell. Axar didn't let the momentum slip away and kept finding boundaries at regular intervals. Gill, once found his mojo, started to find the gaps before both batters were sent back in quick succession, followed by KL Rahul (2 off 9 balls).
1⃣0⃣0⃣-run stand ✅
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 6, 2025
Shubman Gill 🤝 Axar Patel
Follow The Match ▶️ https://t.co/lWBc7oPRcd#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/ZCvPtEpqqa
India slipped 221/3 to 235/6 in the blink of an eye and the visitors must felt like they could pull off something miraculous. But, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja ensured that India didn't lose a wicket and secured a comfortable win. Shubman Gill, for his 87-run knock, was adjudged as Player of the Match.
9 x 4⃣
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 6, 2025
2 x 6⃣
Recap Shreyas Iyer's counter-attacking 59-run knock off just 36 deliveries in the chase 🔥
WATCH 🎥🔽 #TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @ShreyasIyer15 https://t.co/m2HdJIhioL
Earlier, asked to bowl first, India restricted England to a pretty modest score after the England side reached the fifty-run mark and bled plenty of boundaries in the first 6-7 overs. Phil Salt was the main aggressor and it looked like he was on a mission to blast the Indian bowling apart till the time a miscommunication ended his innings for a 26-ball 43. The visitors slipped from 75 for 0 to 111/4 in no time.
6⃣0⃣0⃣ international wickets and counting!
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 6, 2025
Congratulations, Ravindra Jadeja 🫡🫡
Follow The Match ▶️ https://t.co/lWBc7oPRcd#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @imjadeja pic.twitter.com/Qej9oaRWbb
Captain Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell held the innings together, forging a 57-run partnership. Buttler scored 52 and Bethell scored his second fifty to become the youngest England to reach the milestone. A quickfire 21* from Jofra Archer ensured that they went past the 240-run mark.
