Gill, Shreyas, and Axar Power India to 1-0 Series Lead Against England
India vs England, 1st ODI: Match Recap
India won the first ODI against England by four wickets. This gives them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. India easily chased down England’s target of 248 runs in Nagpur. They finished with 68 balls left, even after a few late hiccups. Shubman Gill scored 87 runs, Shreyas Iyer made 59, and Axar Patel added 52. Harshit Rana took 3 wickets for 53 runs, while Ravindra Jadeja claimed 3 for just 26. Together, they kept England’s score low and unthreatening.
England’s Batting Struggles After a Strong Start
England, now led by head coach Brendon McCullum, started strong. Phil Salt scored 43 off 26 balls, while Ben Duckett added 32 off 29. Together, they built a quick 75-run opening partnership. A miscommunication caused Salt to run out. This led to a dramatic collapse as England fell from 75/1 to 77/3.
Harshit Rana, the debutant, took two wickets in one over. He dismissed Duckett and then Harry Brook for 0. This put India firmly in control. England’s hopes for recovery relied on Jos Buttler (52) and Jacob Bethell (51). They built a strong 59-run partnership.
Buttler got out while trying to flick a ball from Axar Patel to the leg side. This hurt England’s innings even more. Jadeja wrapped up the lower order. England got bowled out for 248 in 47.4 overs. Jofra Archer scored 21 runs off 18 balls late in the innings.
India’s Chase: Gill, Shreyas, and Axar Take Control
Chasing 249, India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal (on debut) and Rohit Sharma early, leaving them at 19/2. Shreyas Iyer fought back with 59 runs off 36 balls. He hit Jofra Archer for two sixes in a row, setting the pace for the game. His aggressive approach, coupled with Gill’s calm innings, built a 94-run partnership.
After Iyer’s dismissal, Axar Patel (52 off 47) provided crucial support. Gill’s bold batting helped lead the chase. He and his partner scored 108 runs together for the fourth wicket.
For his impressive 8⃣7⃣-run knock in the chase, vice-captain Shubman Gill bags the Player of the Match award! 👍 👍
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/lWBc7oPRcd#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/7ERlZcopxR
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 6, 2025
Gill, who survived an LBW review on 38, was eyeing a century but fell for 87, miscuing a shot off Saqib Mahmood. Axar was out next, caught by Adil Rashid. This led to a quick collapse as India lost three wickets for just four runs. Jadeja scored the winning runs, and Hardik Pandya helped India win easily.
Key Takeaways and England’s Concerns
A solid win in the bag for #TeamIndia! 💪 💪
They beat England by 4⃣ wickets in Nagpur & take 1-0 lead in the ODI series! 👏 👏
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/lWBc7oPRcd#INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/lJkHoih56n
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 6, 2025
India celebrated a strong win, but Rohit Sharma’s poor form is a worry for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. England’s top-order inconsistency and weak bowling depth showed problems. These issues need fixing before the next ODIs.
With a 1-0 lead, India will look to seal the series in the second ODI, while England must regroup to stay in contention.
