Shubman Gill’s fluent 80 and Axar Patel’s unbeaten half-century and four wickets helped India beat England by six wickets in the first ODI at Edgbaston. India chased 259 comfortably to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series
Published Date – 15 July 2026, 12:24 AM
Birmingham: Shubman Gill continued his love affair with the Edgbaston cricket ground as the Indian captain’s graceful 80 laid the foundation for a walk-in-the-park six-wicket victory over England in the first ODI here on Tuesday.
India have now taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Axar Patel, much criticised for his recent low returns in T20Is, played the perfect supporting role with a superb all-round show of 4/62 and an unbeaten 57 off 52 balls in what could have otherwise been a tricky chase.
Chasing a perfectly gettable target of 259, the Indian skipper mixed poise and style in equal measure before suffering from cramps, but Washington Sundar (52 not out off 63 balls) and Axar successfully completed the chase in 45.2 overs with an unbroken 102-run stand after India were reduced to 160 for 4.
Gill was in fine touch despite being troubled by a dodgy hamstring and calf muscle cramps, which forced him to retire hurt when his 10th ODI century seemed there for the taking.
This was India’s first win in the ongoing tour of the United Kingdom.
Gill, who hit 11 fours and a six in his 75-ball knock, got plenty of support from his in-form deputy Shreyas Iyer (35) during their 101-run stand for the third wicket.
Just as Adelaide Oval had been a happy hunting ground for Virat Kohli across formats, the same could be said of Gill and Edgbaston. During the Test series last year, Gill scored 269 and 161 in India’s victory here.
And now in the 50-over format, he once again showed his class even as he was first troubled by calf muscle cramps and then by a hamstring issue.
After veterans Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (5) were dismissed cheaply with the team score reading 48, Gill took charge of the proceedings.
The right-hander was never overly cautious, nor did he take undue risks, while hitting regal on-drives and picturesque cover drives. The pulled six off Josh Tongue was a treat for the eyes.
Once he retired hurt, the momentum suddenly shifted in England’s favour.
The set Iyer was responsible for his cross-pitch running that made him cover extra distance, only to be run out.
KL Rahul was then beaten for pace by Tongue as he chopped one onto his stumps.
But Axar and Washington shrugged off their poor show in the T20Is to remain calm during their century stand, in which they absorbed the pressure of a hostile spell from Jofra Archer and scored freely against the spinners, whom Harry Brook used one too many.
Both the batters were below par with the bat during the T20Is, but the longer format gave them time to settle down and, since Gill had eased the scoreboard pressure, they scored runs with consummate ease.
Earlier, the seasoned Joe Root and plucky Liam Dawson scored half-centuries in a gutsy seventh-wicket stand of 121 runs as England posted a respectable 258 after opting to bat.
From a solid 61 for no loss at the start of the 13th over, England slumped to 107 for 6 by the end of the 22nd over, and there seemed little chance of a recovery from that position.
However, Root, with a run-a-ball 76, fought well alongside Dawson, whose career-best 68 off 83 balls took England to a position from where the bowlers had a decent total to defend.
Root played the field, waited patiently for Bumrah to complete his first two spells, and attacked Axar (4/62) and Prasidh Krishna once the pitch showed signs of easing.
The best shot was a ramp off a Jasprit Bumrah bouncer. He hit six fours and a six.
While the peerless Bumrah (1/31 in 9 overs) was the best Indian bowler in terms of skill and quality on display, young Gurnoor Brar (2/61 in 9 overs) and the usually expensive Prasidh (2/50 in 10 overs) also chipped in with wickets despite conceding runs.
But Axar ran through the tail after the Dawson-Root century stand.
