India preparations for Champions Trophy: Five key takeaways from 1st ODI

Team India registered a 4-wicket win in the 1st ODI against England in Nagpur to take a 1-0 lead in the series. An all-round performance from the Men in Blue ensured that the preparations for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 kicked off on a high.

 

With Virat Kohli unavailable for the tie due to a knee issue, it was Shubman Gill who shone with the bat, scoring 87 runs for the side and guiding them to a comfortable victory in the end. While Gill and others helped the hosts with the bat, debutant Harshit Rana and others also contributed significantly with the ball in the absence of their pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah.  Check all latest updates for Champions Trophy 2025 here

 

Let’s take a look at the 5 key takeaways from India's 1st ODI win against England in Nagpur:

 

Rana shining on debut

 

Getting his maiden ODI cap is a special day for any player, and 24-year-old Harshit Rana made the most of the occasion as he took 3 wickets in his 7-over debut spell. Picked ahead of Arshdeep Singh, Rana must have felt completely out of place when Phil Salt smashed him for 26 runs in just his 3rd over. However, Rana regained composure and went on to take important wickets for his side. He ended with figures of 3/53 in his 7 overs.

 

Shami looking in rhythm

 

Returning to the 50-over format after the ODI World Cup 2023 and a long injury layoff, Indian pacer Mohd Shami looked well in rhythm and didn’t show any signs of discomfort related to his ankle or knee in the middle. His 8-over spell ended with figures of 1/38, including 1 maiden over. 

 

Rohit's poor form

 

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma failed to make a mark yet again, getting dismissed early for just 2 runs in the chase when a mistimed shot fell into the hands of Liam Livingstone. Talking about how he wanted to leave his past form behind him, Rohit couldn't manage to give the hosts a good start, and the disappointment was clearly visible on his face as he made his way back to the pavilion.  Check Champions Trophy 2025 full schedule here

 

Middle order stepping up for India

 

With the openers departing early in the chase, India’s middle-order featuring Shreyas Iyer (59) and Axar Patel (52) paved the way for the side to chase down the 249-run target easily within 39 overs. Shreyas Iyer, who hadn’t represented the Men in Blue for some time, returned well and made his claim for a place in the eleven with a counter-attacking fifty. Axar, on the other hand, stitched up a 108-run partnership with Gill and took the game right to the finish line for India.

 

Gill proving his worth

 

Vice-captain Shubman Gill starred with the bat as he led from the front with a resilient 96-ball 87 against England. Struggling with his hamstring in the middle of the chase, Gill continued to bat, popping a painkiller and getting back on the boundary wagon again. He scored 14 boundaries in his innings, which accelerated the chase for the hosts and helped them secure an opening win with 11 overs to spare in the end.