India won this one from the bottom of the card up. Axar Patel and Washington Sundar put together an unbroken 102-run stand while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli managed just 16 runs between them inside the first ten overs. Shubman Gill’s 80 kept the chase alive before a hamstring injury forced him off, and three more wickets fell for just 11 runs soon after that. It was the all-rounders, not the recognised top order, who steadied things and closed this out with 28 balls to spare.
A Winning Scorecard That Hides a Warning Sign
England’s target of 259, built on Joe Root’s 76 not out and Liam Dawson’s 61, was always chaseable. India still found a way to make it complicated. Rohit Sharma, returning from a difficult 2026 run, made 11 off 21 at a strike rate of 52.38 before scooping a mistimed heave off Sam Curran to Harry Brook in the eighth over. An over later, Virat Kohli, playing his first ODI since missing the Afghanistan series, shuffled across his stumps against Jofra Archer and was given out LBW for 5. India had scored 48 in nine overs with two experienced batters already gone. Captain Shubman Gill steadied things alongside Shreyas Iyer, their stand reaching 101, before Gill’s hamstring gave way in the 26th over.
India England 1st ODI all-rounders vs top order
The sequence after Gill’s retirement was as alarming as anything in India’s chase. Iyer was run out by a direct hit from Harry Brook for 35 with the score in the 140s, Washington Sundar, batting in Gill’s place, couldn’t stop the slide, and five balls later KL Rahul played on to Josh Tongue for 1 off 3. India had slipped to 160/4 in the 27th over, needing 99 more. That was when Axar Patel walked out.
Batter | Runs | Balls | Strike Rate | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Shubman Gill | 80 | 75 | 106.67 | Retired hurt |
Rohit Sharma | 11 | 21 | 52.38 | c Brook b Curran |
Virat Kohli | 5 | 6 | 83.33 | LBW b Archer |
Shreyas Iyer | 35 | 53 | 66.04 | run out |
Washington Sundar | 52* | 63 | 82.54 | Not out |
KL Rahul | 1 | 3 | 33.33 | b Tongue |
Axar Patel | 57* | 52 | 109.62 | Not out |
Rohit and Kohli’s Struggles Raise Real Questions
Both veterans looked scratchy all afternoon, Rohit’s dismissal, a mistimed slog to mid-off, capping an innings where he never settled. Kohli’s LBW to Archer came from an impatient shuffle across his crease, exposed to pace. Their combined 16 runs from around 24 balls at the top left the early chase resting on Gill and whoever followed. This isn’t just a bad day, either. Rohit and Kohli are now ODI-only players, with no T20I or Test cricket to find form in, so every series is their only competitive cricket. Performances like this draw more scrutiny than they once did.
Axar and Washington’s Stand Took Control
Their unbroken stand of 102 off 105 balls, at a run rate of 5.82, covered every run India still needed. Axar Patel’s 57 not out off 52 was the defining contribution, arriving after his 4 for 62 with the ball, only the sixth time an Indian man has taken four wickets and scored fifty-plus in one ODI. Washington Sundar’s 52 not out gave the calmer platform, absorbing pressure through the middle overs before both accelerated as the target neared. Gill, watching from the dressing room with his hamstring iced, later spoke about how seeing the lower order finish the job gives a captain real confidence. It was not the top order that won this game.
The Bigger Picture Before the 2027 Cycle
This was game one of a three-match series both sides are using to assess squads ahead of the 2027 World Cup in South Africa. India’s answer to 160/4, a pair of all-rounders batting deep in the order, is an encouraging structural sign, but it exposes a gap at the top. If Rohit and Kohli are both still around in 2027, India will need them scoring against the new ball under real pressure, not leaning on all-rounders every time. Gill pointed out a target beyond 300 would still have been within reach, a nod to the batting depth on show. That gap is exactly what this India-England 1st ODI all-rounders vs top order contest exposed.
Was Axar Patel’s all-round display the standout performance of this series opener, or does the top order’s form worry you more? Have your say in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How did Virat Kohli perform in the 1st ODI against England?
Kohli was dismissed for 5 runs by Jofra Archer, trapped LBW in the ninth over after one boundary. He fell an over after Rohit Sharma, leaving India 48 for 2 inside ten overs.
What was Axar Patel’s score in the 1st ODI at Edgbaston?
Axar Patel made an unbeaten 57 off 52 after taking 4 for 62 earlier. He was Player of the Match, the sixth Indian to take four wickets and score fifty in one ODI.
Why did Shubman Gill retire hurt in the 1st ODI?
Gill retired hurt in the 26th over with a hamstring injury during his 80 off 75. His exit triggered a collapse that cost India three wickets for just 11 runs.
How many runs did India need to win the 1st ODI?
India needed 259 after England were bowled out for 258, chasing it down in 45.2 overs for four wickets. They won by six wickets with 28 balls to spare, finishing 262 for 4.
Is India’s top order a worry ahead of the 2027 World Cup?
Edgbaston raised real questions, with Rohit managing 11 off 21 and Kohli out for 5 inside ten overs. Both are now ODI-only players with no other format to find form in.