India outclassed England by six wickets in the first ODI of the three-match series at Edgbaston. After electing to bat first, England were bowled out for 258 in 47.5 overs. Joe Root played a superb unbeaten knock of 76 off 76 balls. Liam Dawson also scored a well-made half-century, while Ben Duckett contributed 43 runs. Axar Patel (4/62 in 9.5 overs) was India's standout bowler. Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna picked up two wickets each, while Jasprit Bumrah remained economical with figures of 1/31 in four overs.
In reply, India chased down the target with 28 balls to spare. Shubman Gill played a brilliant knock of 80 off 75 balls before retiring hurt with cramps. He also shared a 109-run partnership for the third wicket with Shreyas Iyer. Axar Patel and Washington Sundar completed the chase with complete control. Both scored unbeaten half-centuries to guide India home. With this victory, India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. It was also India's first win of the England tour.
England Collapse After Choosing to Bat
England captain Harry Brook elected to bat first after winning the toss. His decision quickly backfired as India's pace attack tore through the top order. England collapsed to 80 for 5 after losing five wickets for just 19 runs. Jasprit Bumrah led the attack despite finishing with only one wicket. His pace and accuracy created constant pressure and allowed the other bowlers to strike.
Prasidh Krishna, Shivam Dube and Gurnoor Brar all chipped in with important wickets. Together, India's seamers removed six of England's top seven batters before Axar Patel cleaned up the lower order.
Duckett Provides Early Resistance
Ben Duckett looked comfortable despite taking a painful blow to his right hand from Bumrah early in his innings. He played several attacking shots and scored quickly while opening partner Jacob Bethell struggled. Bethell managed only 14 from 31 balls before Gurnoor Brar dismissed him.
Duckett entertained the crowd with two sixes off Brar in an exciting contest. However, Brar had the final say when Duckett sliced a shot to deep third, where Bumrah completed a superb relay catch near the boundary.
Bumrah Removes Brook Immediately
With Harry Brook and Joe Root together at the crease, Gill brought Bumrah back into the attack. The move worked instantly. Bumrah forced Brook to edge behind after extra bounce surprised the England captain. Rohit Sharma completed the catch at first slip, leaving England in deeper trouble.
Jos Buttler's landmark 200th ODI also ended disappointingly. He lofted the ball straight towards mid-on, where Gurnoor Brar completed the catch after nearly colliding with Gill. Sam Curran followed soon after for a duck as England continued to lose wickets.
Root and Dawson Rescue England
Joe Root once again stood firm while wickets continued to fall around him. He remained unbeaten on 76 and gave England something respectable to defend. Liam Dawson played one of the best innings of his international career. He attacked positively and scored 68, his highest score for England in any format.
The pair added 121 runs and prevented England from suffering an even heavier collapse. However, once Dawson departed after mistiming an Axar Patel delivery, England's innings quickly came to an end. Axar finished with impressive figures of 4 for 62 as England were bowled out for 258 in the 48th over.
Gill Leads the Chase with a Captain's Knock
Shubman Gill anchored India's chase from the beginning with a composed and confident innings. He remained unbeaten on 80 before retiring hurt due to cramps when India were closing in on victory. Speaking after the match on BBC's Test Match Special, Gill said he expects to recover in time for the second ODI on Thursday.
Gill started aggressively. He struck boundaries off his first two deliveries and continued to punish loose bowling. One elegant cover drive off Josh Tongue became one of the standout shots of the match.
Despite losing Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli early, Gill remained calm. He built the innings patiently and shared a crucial 101-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer to put India firmly in control.
Early Setbacks Fail to Stop India
England struck twice during the powerplay. Sam Curran dismissed Rohit Sharma after the Indian opener mistimed an attacking shot to Harry Brook at mid-off.
Virat Kohli also failed to make an impact. Jofra Archer's pace proved too much as Kohli moved across his stumps and was trapped in front for just five runs.
India slipped to 48 for 2, but Gill and Shreyas Iyer steadied the innings with sensible batting. Their partnership shifted the momentum back in India's favour.
England Fight Back Briefly
India suffered a sudden collapse after Gill retired hurt. Harry Brook produced a direct hit to run out Shreyas Iyer for 35, while Josh Tongue dismissed KL Rahul just five balls later on his ODI debut.
England removed three batters within 15 deliveries and briefly raised hopes of a comeback. However, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar remained composed. They rotated the strike well before attacking the bowlers at the right time.
Axar and Washington Finish the Job
Axar Patel played another outstanding all-round role. After starring with the ball, he scored an unbeaten 57 from only 39 deliveries. His knock included six boundaries and several powerful shots that quickly ended England's hopes.
Washington Sundar supported him brilliantly with an unbeaten 52. He completed his maiden ODI half-century in style by launching Adil Rashid over the sightscreen. The pair added an unbeaten century partnership and guided India home comfortably.