Shubman Gill, Axar Patel Star As India Beat England By Six Wickets In 1st ODI

Shubman Gill once again proved why Edgbaston is one of his favourite venues, playing a classy knock of 80 to guide India to a comfortable six-wicket win over England in the opening ODI on Tuesday. With the victory, India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and also registered their first win of the ongoing tour of the United Kingdom.

Gill’s innings gave India complete control of the chase before he had to leave the field because of cramps. Axar Patel and Washington Sundar then finished the job with an unbeaten century partnership.

Gill Anchors India’s Chase Before Retiring Hurt

India were chasing 259 after England posted a competitive total. The visitors did not have the best start as Rohit Sharma was dismissed for 11, while Virat Kohli managed only five runs.

With India at 48/2, Gill took charge of the innings. He looked in complete control from the beginning, timing the ball beautifully and finding the gaps with ease. His elegant cover drives and straight drives stood out, while his pull shot for six off Josh Tongue was one of the highlights of the innings.

Gill added 101 runs for the third wicket with Shreyas Iyer, who continued his good form with a useful 35.

The Indian captain reached 80 off just 75 balls, hitting 11 fours and one six, but severe cramps and a hamstring problem forced him to retire hurt before he could push for what looked like another ODI century.

Axar Patel and Washington Sundar Stay Calm Under Pressure

After Gill walked off the field, England sensed an opportunity.

India lost Shreyas Iyer, who was run out after a mix-up while running between the wickets. Soon after, KL Rahul was dismissed when Josh Tongue beat him for pace and crashed into the stumps.

Despite those setbacks, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar remained composed. The pair built an unbeaten 102-run stand to take India home with 28 balls to spare.

Axar, who had struggled with the bat during the recent T20I series, responded with an unbeaten 57 from 52 deliveries. Washington also made the most of the extra time available in the 50-over format, scoring an unbeaten 52 from 63 balls.

The duo handled Jofra Archer’s pace confidently and rotated the strike well against England’s spinners to complete the chase in 45.2 overs.

Another Special Innings at Edgbaston

Gill’s success at Edgbaston continued with yet another memorable knock.

During India’s Test tour of England last year, the Indian skipper scored 269 and 161 at the same ground, helping his team secure a famous victory. He once again looked completely at ease at the venue, adding another important innings to his growing list of performances there.

England Recover After Dramatic Collapse

Earlier in the day, England captain Harry Brook chose to bat first after winning the toss.

The hosts started positively and reached 61 without loss, but India’s bowlers quickly turned the game around. England lost six wickets for just 46 runs and found themselves struggling at 107/6.

Joe Root once again showed his experience, playing a patient innings of 76 from 76 balls. He found excellent support from Liam Dawson, who registered a career-best 68 off 83 deliveries.

The pair stitched 121-run stand for the seventh wicket, helping England recover from a difficult position and post 258 on the board.

Root paced his innings smartly, waiting for Jasprit Bumrah to finish his opening spells before attacking the other bowlers. He struck six boundaries and one six, including an impressive ramp shot off a Bumrah bouncer.

Indian Bowlers Shine Despite England’s Fightback

Jasprit Bumrah once again led India’s bowling attack with control and accuracy. Although he picked up just one wicket, his figures of 1/31 in nine overs reflected how difficult he was to score against.

Young left-arm pacer Gurnoor Brar claimed two wickets, while Prasidh Krishna also finished with two despite giving away a few runs.

Axar Patel was India’s most successful bowler. After England’s middle-order recovery, he returned to clean up the lower order and finished with impressive figures of 4/62, completing an outstanding all-round performance.

India Take Early Advantage

India produced a complete team performance to start the ODI series on a winning note. Gill’s fluent innings laid the platform, while Axar Patel delivered with both bat and ball. Washington Sundar’s composed finish ensured there were no late scares as India comfortably chased down the target and moved 1-0 ahead in the series.