India vs England 1st ODI: Key Battle Ahead of Champions Trophy

The highly anticipated three-match ODI series between India and England kicks off today at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur, Maharashtra. The match is scheduled to start at 1:30 PM IST, with both teams using this series as a key preparation phase ahead of the Champions Trophy later this month.

India enters the contest with strong momentum, having recently clinched a dominant 4-1 victory over England in the five-match T20 International series. The home side will look to carry forward their winning form into the ODIs.

England, led by Jos Buttler, has retained much of its T20 squad for the ODI series, maintaining consistency in team selection. Meanwhile, India welcomes back their seasoned captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli, strengthening their lineup. Additionally, spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been included in the squad, adding depth to India’s bowling attack.

Following the series opener in Nagpur, the second ODI will take place in Cuttack on Sunday, with the third and final match scheduled for February 12 in Ahmedabad. Both teams will aim to fine-tune their combinations and gain momentum before heading into the global tournament.

England has already announced its playing XI for the series opener, with Joe Root set to return to the ODI format for the first time since the World Cup. Meanwhile, fast bowler Mark Wood has been rested for the match.

For India, the wicketkeeper’s role remains undecided, with both Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul vying for a spot in the playing XI. Additionally, the hosts face a selection dilemma in the spin-bowling all-rounder department, as they must choose two out of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar.

IND vs ENG 1st ODI – Predicted Playing XI

India’s Probable XI:

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul/Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami.

England’s Probable XI:

Ben Duckett, Philip Salt (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood.