Nagpur, February 6 – Debutant pacer Harshit Rana made an immediate impact, claiming three wickets as India bowled out England for 248 in 47.4 overs in the first One-Day International (ODI) on Thursday. Despite half-centuries from captain Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell, disciplined bowling and sharp fielding from India ensured England fell short of a formidable total.
England, after opting to bat first, started aggressively, with opener Phil Salt leading the charge. However, India pulled things back as Rana (3/53) and veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (3/26) dismantled the visitors' batting lineup. England’s innings was anchored by Buttler (52) and Bethell (51), while Salt contributed a brisk 43.
The match saw an eventful start as Salt took on Rana in his debut over, smashing two boundaries before unleashing a brutal assault in the sixth over, hitting three sixes and two fours to collect 26 runs. To curb England's aggressive approach, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma introduced left-arm spinner Axar Patel (1/38), but Ben Duckett (32) continued the attacking momentum with consecutive boundaries off Axar.
Just as England looked to be in control, a mix-up between the openers led to Salt’s run-out, courtesy of a pinpoint throw from Shreyas Iyer and a swift take by wicketkeeper KL Rahul. The breakthrough sparked India’s comeback, and the hosts capitalized with a double strike in the fourth over of Rana’s spell.
Making his presence felt not just with the ball but also in the field, debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal pulled off a brilliant catch at midwicket, covering 21 meters to dismiss Duckett. Two deliveries later, Rana struck again, sending Harry Brook (0) back to the pavilion as Rahul completed a regulation catch. England, which was cruising at 75/0, suddenly found itself at 77/3.
England’s experienced duo of Joe Root (19) and Buttler attempted to steady the innings, but Jadeja trapped Root lbw, dealing a significant blow. Buttler managed to rebuild with Bethell, adding 59 crucial runs. The England skipper reached his fifty but fell soon after, miscuing an Axar delivery straight to Hardik Pandya at short fine leg. His 67-ball knock featured four boundaries.
Bethell, displaying resilience at the other end, compiled a steady 51 before Jadeja trapped him lbw, effectively ending England’s hopes of a strong finish. The 21-year-old faced 64 balls, striking three boundaries and a six before departing.
India’s sharp bowling effort, complemented by brilliant fielding, restricted England to a below-par total. With a solid start to their bowling innings, India now eyes a comfortable chase to take the lead in the series.
