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A different format, a much-changed India, but the same result. England fell to a four-wicket defeat in the opening one-day international at Nagpur, Shubman Gill top-scoring with 87 in a successful chase of 249.
Gill, who did not play in the preceding Twenty20 series, was backed up by half-centuries from Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel in what was no straightforward reply. England’s spinners found assistance, with India requiring technique and ticker to take the lead in the three-match series.
Ravindra Jadeja led with the ball, three wickets from his tight nine, the visitors unable to bat out the 50 overs. Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell were half-centurions but neither could advance past 52, the final tally never seeming enough. England are still waiting for a commanding display with the bat on this tour.
The first innings had begun with promises of a hefty total, Phil Salt rejuvenated after a speedy half-century in the T20 series finale. The rollicker was brutal with the ODI debutant Harshit Rana, taking 26 runs off the quick’s third over, an audacious sweep for six within the mix.
But miscommunication would end the opening stand at 75. Salt wanted three after a slap behind point, Ben Duckett two, negotiations brought to a halt by KL Rahul completing the run out. Salt was gone for a 26-ball 43 and Duckett would depart to Rana four balls later as Yashasvi Jaiswal pulled off a catch reminiscent of Travis Head’s stunner in the 2023 World Cup final. Harry Brook fell without scoring to the bustling pace of Rana with a glove down the leg side. England had closed the powerplay by losing three wickets for just two runs.
In were the two old-timers, a throwback to brighter days. Joe Root knocked it around with Buttler, the pair on for an old-fashioned rebuild. But Jadeja emerged for the first time on this tour having retired from T20Is last year. The left-armer trapped Root in front for 19 with a ball that refused to turn, a reminder of his stump-to-stump havoc. Buttler would have to settle for a willing protege in Bethell to get through the chores of the middle overs.
England’s captain had spoken on Wednesday about how ODIs can excite top-six batters because of the opportunity to hit hundreds. With extra space on the canvas, Buttler reached his half-century in the 31st over, the acceleration approaching, two years having passed since his last international hundred.
But a Patel delivery died off the surface as Buttler miscued, the shape of England’s innings drastically altered. Liam Livingstone nicked off for five from a wild leg-side swing and Jofra Archer’s unbeaten and powerful 21 was the only significant lower-order contribution. Bethell’s innings had plenty of grind but he fell lbw to Jadeja while trying to launch.
It was a big ask for England’s bowlers but Archer and Saqib Mahmood delivered two early blows. Jaiswal, a nemesis in the Test series between the two teams last year but a debutant in this format, edged Archer behind for 15 before Rohit Sharma’s misplaced whip left India 19 for two. With Virat Kohli missing due to a knee injury, Iyer and Gill had to bear the brunt of Archer’s pace, the quick’s first three overs conceding just two runs.
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What Iyer could note was Archer’s length, the short ball easily predicted. A pull and upper cut for consecutive sixes at the end of the seventh over prompted a vibe shift, setting Iyer on the way to a 30-ball half-century and 94-run stand with Gill inside 11 overs.
But the surface was beginning to offer serious turn as Adil Rashid twirled away and Bethell found some too to dismiss Iyer for a 36-ball 59, an awkward sweep costing India’s No 4. Patel was moved up the order, England’s spin more welcoming to the hitting arc of a left-hander. While Gill put up the forward defence at one end and survived a half-chance at long-on, Patel moved to 25 off 19.
Buttler brought in two slips for Rashid while Livingstone ripped away too, but Gill hung on amid some discomfort with his leg. A punch through the covers for one brought Gill his half-century off 60 balls while the return of pace was welcomed. Gill monstered a pull shot off Brydon Carse to bring up the 100-run stand with Patel off 98 balls.
Rashid deservedly collected a couple of late wickets, Patel undone by sharp turn, while Gill clothed a pull off Mahmood with 14 runs still required. Buttler introduced a funky field with three men close in on the off side, but Jadeja and Hardik Pandya just about held on, victory accomplished with 11.2 overs remaining.
