Joe Root proved impossible to dismiss throughout the ODI series against India, accumulating 249 runs across three matches while remaining unbeaten. This performance has reinforced Root’s belief that England’s 50-over side is experiencing a significant revival following challenging years in the format, particularly after their disappointing 2023 World Cup campaign.
Under captain Harry Brook, England has secured back-to-back ODI series victories, with the triumph over the world’s top-ranked team coming after their earlier success in Sri Lanka in January.
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England captain Harry Brook said he was ‘extremely proud’ of his side’s ‘fight’ as they beat the No 1-ranked ODI side in the world in India
Both series victories required England to demonstrate resilience, recovering from 1-0 deficits before prevailing in decisive third matches. This marks a stark contrast to the team’s struggles in November, when a 3-0 defeat in New Zealand highlighted deeper concerns.
The recent poor form had sparked discussions about England potentially missing consecutive World Cup tournaments, with the team languishing eighth in the rankings and facing the possibility of entering a qualifying competition for the 2027 edition.
That concern has now been alleviated through these consecutive series wins.
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Jacob Bethell struck his first ODI half-century as an opener with a glittering innings of 90 at Lord’s
England’s ODI resurgence shows promising signs
England is beginning to resemble a cohesive and competitive ODI unit once again. While not yet reaching the heights of their 2019 World Cup dominance, the team now demonstrates genuine capability to challenge elite opposition.
The series against India featured standout performances including a remarkable 200-run partnership between Ben Duckett and opening debutant Jacob Bethell in the decisive Lord’s encounter. Although India’s bowling attack was compromised by the absence of Jasprit Bumrah through injury, the English pair displayed an effective balance of aggressive strokeplay and tactical discipline.
Duckett’s masterful 141 represented a record-breaking innings at Lord’s, surpassing Sir Vivian Richards’ previous highest ODI score at the venue. This performance has signaled a return to form for the batsman following a difficult Ashes experience both on and off the field.
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Ben Duckett’s knock of 141 is the highest score in an ODI at Lord’s
Bethell complemented his fluent 91 with a crucial wicket of Rohit Sharma during India’s pursuit, taking advantage of coach Brendon McCullum’s tactical instruction to utilize the left-arm spinner option. The developing partnership between McCullum and Brook has yielded positive results, with the ODI series following England’s 4-0 T20 series victory over India that elevated them to the summit of the world rankings in that format.
There are growing calls for Brook to focus exclusively on white-ball captaincy rather than also assuming Test leadership responsibilities.
Root, considered among the candidates to succeed Ben Stokes as Test captain, emerged as England’s standout performer throughout the series, showcasing his capacity to innovate, control tempo, accumulate runs, and rescue challenging situations.
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Gus Atkinson’s match-clinching boundary against India in Cardiff left England’s Joe Root one run shy of a 21st ODI hundred
Root’s consistency was evident in his contributions: an unbeaten 76 that kept England competitive in the first ODI, a match-winning 99 in the second, and a composed 74 not out that helped establish a record List A total of 387-3 at Lord’s in the third match.
Areas requiring continued attention
Despite Root’s exemplary performances, several teammates struggled with impulsive shot selection in the opening two matches, while Brook’s innings at Sophia Gardens appeared overly aggressive, scoring at run-a-ball pace. The captain acknowledged post-match that the team must continue learning from Root’s methodical approach to strike rotation and composure as they prepare for next year’s World Cup.
Vulnerability remains against challenging surfaces, mirroring issues within the Test squad.
The composition of England’s starting XI also requires careful consideration.
Fast bowler Josh Tongue made his England ODI debut during the India series
England initially favored a spin-heavy attack in the series opener, potentially influenced by successful strategies employed in Sri Lanka. However, the selection of only Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, and all-rounder Sam Curran as specialist seamers proved inadequate. While Liam Dawson contributed valuable runs with a half-century that partnered with Root during England’s recovery from 61-0 to 107-6, his inclusion may have been ill-advised given the team’s apparent need for additional pace bowling options.
The balance was corrected for the final two matches, with Dawson making way for an additional seamer. This adjustment aligns with expectations for the upcoming World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, where pace-heavy conditions will likely prevail.
Optimising the seam bowling attack
Ambrose Archer and Curran have established themselves as certain starters. Archer believes he is bowling with consistent excellence, while Curran has introduced a new dimension since his recall last summer, effectively neutralizing India’s hopes at Lord’s with three wickets in six balls during the death overs.
Curran’s left-arm angle and deceptive variations have provided welcome diversity compared to England’s heavily right-arm seam-focused approach during their disappointing Champions Trophy campaign in early 2025, marking McCullum’s initial tournament as white-ball coach.
The remaining seam bowling positions are contested among Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson, Saqi Mahmood, Brydon Carse, and Jamie Overton upon his return from injury. One of these players needs to emerge as the middle-overs enforcer reminiscent of Liam Plunkett’s pivotal role during England’s 2019 World Cup triumph.
Will Liam Dawson make it to the 2027 World Cup?
Dawson’s place in the 2027 World Cup squad faces uncertainty, particularly with younger spin-bowling all-rounders Rehan Ahmed and James Coles emerging as potential alternatives.
England’s continued development in the 50-over format will be tested further when they host Sri Lanka for three matches in September, followed by tours to Australia in November and South Africa in January, with all fixtures generating optimism rather than anxiety among supporters.
England vs India – complete series results
T20 Internationals (England won five-match series 4-0, currently ranked world No. 1)
ODI Series (England won three-match series 2-1)
