The final test before Champions Trophy
Team India are ready to host England in a three-match ODI series as their final white-ball assignment before the Champions Trophy 2025. With the Champions Trophy just a month away, Rohit Sharma and co. have the opportunity to fix all the chinks in the armour and also sort out their combinations before kicking off their campaign in Dubai.
Ahead of the first ODI between India and England, here’s our match preview and predictions.
India vs England 1st ODI | England tour of India 2025 | 13:30 IST, February 6, 2025
The hosts have all the big guns returning for the ODI series, after some of them were away for the T20I series. Rohit Sharma is back at the helm of things with a new deputy in Shubman Gill, who will be opening the innings with his captain. Virat Kohli rounds out the top order with Sharma and Kohli, both the veterans under the scope for their recent failures. Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are back in the mix of things with both being crucial to India’s stellar run in the ODI World Cup 2023. Rahul is expected to be the first choice keeper, which will also allow the team to play an extra bowler or batter, given Rahul’s flexibility.
Harik Pandya will be key for the hosts along with Ravindra Jadeja as the main allrounders while Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav would be key with the ball, especially given Jasprit Bumrah’s absence. Axar Patel has also slowly proven himself to be invaluable to the team and could be a key deciding factor on a spin-friendly track in Nagpur.
England have one big name returning to the ODI setup as former English captain, Joe Root slots into that English top order. Jos Buttler will have more or less the same squad from the T20I series in the ODI series as well along with Joe Root with Ben Duckett’s recent white-ball form being key for the visitors at the top. Phil Salt is another explosive option up top while Root will play the anchor role around the likes of Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell.
England have a host of all-rounders, with Livingstone, Bethell and even Root expected to roll their arms over whenever needed. Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed are the two main spinners for the visitors with Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson leading the charge with the new ball.
The first ODI of the India vs England series will be the first ODI game taking place in Nagpur since March 2019, almost six years ago! Nagpur has been a track which has helped the spinners so expect both teams to go heavy with their spinners with the hosts starting as the favourites to kick off the series with a win.
Fantasy XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Joe Root, Harry Brook, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Liam Livingstone, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid
Venue: Nagpur
Winners Prediction: India
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