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India face England in the opening ODI of their three-match series this week, with the first encounter scheduled for Thursday, February 6, at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.
As the ICC Champions Trophy approaches later this month, both teams are eager to perform well in the series. India enter the match with strong momentum after their 4-1 victory in the T20I series and will be aiming to build on that success. On the other hand, England will be keen to bounce back and a win in this ODI series will boost their confidence ahead of the prestigious Champions Trophy. Check India vs England 1st ODI live score and match updates
IND vs ENG 1st ODI pitch report
Here's what Deepdas Gupta and Greame Swann said during the Pitch report:
"Traditionally, this hasn't been a high-scoring ground, the reason being the dimensions. 69m and 68m square boundaries, 75m straight boundary. We're playing on a red-soil pitch and it looks good for batting. It's rock hard, there's a bit of grass, but there's no moisture and it's dry. Not a lot in it for the bowlers, but this being a red soil pitch, spin will come into play later on. It's a good cricket pitch and a high score can be expected. There's some breeze blowing over and the spinners would like to bowl from that end. Dew could be a factor and the captain winning the toss could ideally look to bowl first."
VCA Stadium key stats
The VCA Stadium has hosted nine ODIs between 2009 and 2019, with an average first innings score of 288 runs. Teams chasing have enjoyed greater success, winning 6 out of 9 encounters. India's highest team total at the venue is 354/7 against Australia in 2009, while the lowest score recorded was 123 by Canada in the 2011 World Cup. Among individual performances, George Bailey’s 156 runs against India in 2013 is the highest score at the stadium, and Dale Steyn’s remarkable 5/50 against India in the 2011 World Cup is the best bowling performance. Virat Kohli leads the list for most runs at the stadium with 325, while Mitchell Johnson holds the record for most wickets, with 9 scalps from 3 matches. The last ODI held here in 2019 saw India edge out Australia by 8 runs in a thrilling encounter. The 45,000 capacity stadium will be hosting its first ODI match since 2019 as the likes of Rohit and Virat return for the Men in Blue in the 50-over format. ALSO READ: Champions Trophy 2025: Injury woes continue to mount trouble for Aussies
| VCA Stadium Nagpur key stats | |
| Category | Record/Stat |
| Total ODIs Hosted | 9 (2009-2019) |
| Average First Innings Score | 288 runs |
| Matches Won by Batting First | 3 |
| Matches Won by Chasing | 6 |
| Last ODI | India vs Australia, 2019 (India won by 8 runs, target: 250) |
| Highest Team Score | India 354/7 vs Australia, 2009 |
| Lowest Team Score | Canada 123 vs Zimbabwe, 2011 (World Cup) |
| Highest Individual Score | George Bailey 156 vs India, 2013 |
| Best Bowling Figures | Dale Steyn 5/50 vs India, 2011 (World Cup) |
| Most Runs (Player) | Virat Kohli 325 runs |
| Most Wickets (Player) | Mitchell Johnson 9 wickets in 3 matches |
| Highest totals in ODIs at VCA Stadium, Nagpur | ||||||||
| Team | Score | Overs | RR | Inns | Opposition | Ground | Result | Match Date |
| India | 354/7 | 50 | 7.08 | 1 | v Australia | Nagpur | won | 28/10/09 |
| India | 351/4 | 49.3 | 7.09 | 2 | v Australia | Nagpur | won | 30/10/13 |
| Australia | 350/6 | 50 | 7 | 1 | v India | Nagpur | lost | 30/10/13 |
| Sri Lanka | 302/7 | 49.1 | 6.14 | 2 | v India | Nagpur | won | 18/12/09 |
| India | 301/7 | 50 | 6.02 | 1 | v Sri Lanka | Nagpur | lost | 18/12/09 |
| South Africa | 300/7 | 49.4 | 6.04 | 2 | v India | Nagpur | won | 12/03/11 |
| Zimbabwe | 298/9 | 50 | 5.96 | 1 | v Canada | Nagpur | won | 28/02/11 |
| England | 296/4 | 48.4 | 6.08 | 2 | v Netherlands | Nagpur | won | 22/02/11 |
| India | 296 | 48.4 | 6.08 | 1 | v South Africa | Nagpur | lost | 12/03/11 |
| Netherlands | 292/6 | 50 | 5.84 | 1 | v England | Nagpur | lost | 22/02/11 |
| Australia | 255 | 48.3 | 5.25 | 2 | v India | Nagpur | lost | 28/10/09 |
| India | 250 | 48.2 | 5.17 | 1 | v Australia | Nagpur | won | 05/03/19 |
| India | 243/3 | 42.5 | 5.67 | 2 | v Australia | Nagpur | won | 01/10/17 |
| Australia | 242 | 49.3 | 4.88 | 2 | v India | Nagpur | lost | 05/03/19 |
| Australia | 242/9 | 50 | 4.84 | 1 | v India | Nagpur | lost | 01/10/17 |

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