The China Mail - Gill helps India down England in ODI opener

Chasing just 249 for victory without Virat Kohli, who missed the start of the three-match series due to a sore right knee, India lost their openers early on.

But Shreyas Iyer, who hit 59, counter-attacked in a 94-run stand with Gill, who made 87, as India chased down their target with 11.2 overs to spare.

The ODIs come ahead of the Champions Trophy, starting February 19 in Pakistan and Dubai.

Gill also put on 108 runs with Axar Patel, who hit 52 after being promoted up the order, to continue India's strong form after they also clinched the preceding T20 series 4-1.

Fast bowler Saqib Mahmood denied Gill a century as he and leg-spinner Adil Rashid took two wickets each to give England some late positives in an otherwise comfortable chase.

India's bowlers set up the victory, with debutant Harshit Rana and spinner Ravindra Jadeja claiming three wickets each to help bowl out a stuttering England for 248 in 47.4 overs.

England's new-ball pair came out firing in their bid to defend the low total and Jofra Archer had ODI debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal caught behind for 15.

Skipper Rohit Sharma fell, on two, five balls later after his mis-timed flick went high up and into the hands of Liam Livingstone at mid-on off Mahmood.

A struggling Rohit, who averages just 10.37 runs in his 16 innings across formats in the 2024-25 season, walked back to stunned silence with India on 19-2.

Iyer soon turned the tide with a flurry of boundaries and raced to his 50 in 30 balls to raise the spirits of the home crowd.

Jacob Bethell trapped Iyer lbw after he had smashed nine fours and two sixes in his 36-ball blitz.

England opted to bat first on a hot and sunny afternoon, but lost regular wickets and failed to bat out their 50 overs -- despite skipper Jos Buttler's 52 and 51 from Bethell.

Phil Salt hammered Rana for three sixes and two fours in a 26-run sixth over but a mix-up with fellow opener Ben Duckett saw him run out for 43.

Rana came back from that pasting with two wickets in one over including Duckett, for 32, and Harry Brook, for a duck, to leave England at 77-3.

Buttler attempted to pull things back, first with Joe Root, who made 19 on his ODI return, and then Bethell, but England fell way short of a seriously competitive total.

The second ODI is on Sunday in Cuttack.

Brief scores:

England 248 all out in 47.4 overs (J. Buttler 52, J. Bethell 51; H. Rana 3-53, R. Jadeja 3-26) v India 251-6 in 38.4 overs (S. Gill 87, S. Iyer 59, A. Patel 52; S. Mahmood 2-47, A. Rashid 2-49)

Result: India won by four wickets

Toss: England

Series: India lead the three-match series 1-0

J.Liv--ThChM