Axar Patel and Shubman Gill's Heroics Help India Return to Winning Ways with Six-Wicket Victory Over England
India defeated England by six wickets in the opening ODI at Edgbaston. Shubman Gill, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar starred as the visitors took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
July 15, 2026: India began the three-match ODI series with a convincing six-wicket victory over England at Edgbaston, chasing down a target of 259 with 28 balls to spare. After suffering six consecutive defeats in T20Is, the visitors returned to winning ways with a composed all-round performance. Shubman Gill anchored the chase with a classy 80 before retiring hurt, while Axar Patel and Washington Sundar stitched together an unbeaten century partnership to guide India home. The win also gave India a 1-0 lead in the series.
England made the perfect start with the ball as India's experienced opening pair failed to make an impact. Rohit Sharma was dismissed for 11 after mistiming an attempted attacking shot off Sam Curran, with Harry Brook taking a comfortable catch. In the very next over, Jofra Archer trapped Virat Kohli lbw for just five after setting him up with a short ball before producing a fuller delivery that beat the former captain. At 48/2 inside the powerplay, England had seized control of the contest.
Shubman Gill then took charge of the chase with another mature innings. The Indian captain played with confidence, mixing elegant cover drives with crisp straight drives and powerful pulls. He found an able partner in Shreyas Iyer, and together they added 101 runs for the third wicket to bring India back into the match. Gill reached 80 from just 75 deliveries, hitting 11 fours and a six, and looked well on course for a century before cramps and discomfort in his right leg forced him to retire hurt.
India go 1-0 up against England with an impressive win in the opening ODI π
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Axar Patel's All-Round Brilliance Seals India's Victory
India's task became slightly more difficult after Gill's retirement. Shreyas Iyer was run out for 35, while KL Rahul was bowled by Josh Tongue for just one, reducing the visitors to 160/4. With England sensing an opportunity, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar produced a calm and mature partnership under pressure.
Axar, whose batting has often come under scrutiny in white-ball cricket, played one of his finest ODI knocks. The left-hander counter-attacked whenever required while rotating the strike intelligently. He remained unbeaten on 57 from 52 balls, striking timely boundaries to keep the required run rate under control. At the other end, Washington Sundar played the perfect supporting role, scoring an unbeaten 52 from 63 deliveries. Their unbroken partnership of 102 runs for the fifth wicket ensured India completed the chase comfortably in 45.2 overs with 28 balls remaining.
Earlier in the day, England had recovered brilliantly after a dramatic collapse to post 258. The hosts raced to 61 without loss before India's bowlers triggered a collapse that reduced them to 107/6. Just when England looked set for a below-par total, Joe Root and Liam Dawson came to the rescue with a magnificent 121-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
Root once again showcased his class with a composed 76, timing his acceleration perfectly after surviving the difficult middle overs. Dawson, meanwhile, produced one of the best innings of his ODI career, scoring a career-best 68 and frustrating the Indian attack. Their partnership revived England's innings and gave the hosts a competitive total after a disastrous middle-order collapse.
India's bowling attack was disciplined throughout the innings. Jasprit Bumrah maintained control with an economical spell of 1/31 in nine overs, while Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna claimed two wickets each to keep England under pressure. Axar Patel once again made the biggest impact by finishing with outstanding figures of 4/62. His spell included the crucial wicket of Liam Dawson, which ended England's resistance and prevented the hosts from posting a much bigger total.
Axar's outstanding all-round display proved to be the difference between the two sides. His four wickets restricted England to a chaseable score before his unbeaten half-century rescued India from a difficult position during the run chase. Shubman Gill's composed innings and Washington Sundar's calm finish perfectly complemented Axar's efforts as India produced a complete team performance.
With the victory, India have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series and gained valuable momentum ahead of the remaining matches. The second ODI will be played in Cardiff, where India will look to clinch the series, while England will aim to bounce back and keep the contest alive.
