Ahmedabad: Opener Shubman Gill’s majestic 112 runs, along with solid half-centuries by Shreyas Iyer (78) and Virat Kohli (52), propelled India to a massive 356 in the third and final ODI against England. This commanding total proved too much for the visitors, who were bowled out for 214, handing India a comprehensive 142-run victory and a 3-0 series clean sweep.
Gill has been firing on all cylinders in the ongoing series and was named the player of the series for scoring 259 across the three innings at an average of 86.33.
England captain Jos Buttler won his third consecutive toss and opted to field first, However, it was a decision that quickly backfired as India’s top order, barring Rohit Sharma fired on all cylinders. Rohit was dismissed for just 1 through a beautiful delivery by Mark Wood which found his outside edge, and Phil Salt pouched it. Despite the early setback, Gill and Kohli steadied the ship.
The pair put on a 116-run partnership, with both batters taking their time early on, rotating the strike and building a solid foundation. Kohli, who was involved in a tense run-out scare in the seventh over, survived and soon found his rhythm. He struck Saqib Mahmood for back-to-back boundaries and, by the end of the powerplay, India had reached 52/1. The partnership continued to flourish as both batters started targeting England's bowlers. Joe Root was taken for five boundaries in his first two overs, while Liam Livingstone also felt the pressure as both Gill and Kohli dispatched him for sixes.
Kohli reached his half-century off 50 balls, while Gill followed with his own 51 deliveries. Just when it seemed they were set for big scores, Kohli fell to Adil Rashid, nicking one to the keeper after an impressive knock of 52.
Shreyas Iyer joined Gill and launched an aggressive counterattack. The pair added 104 runs for the third wicket. Gill, meanwhile, brought up his century in 95 balls, marking his first ODI century since September 2023. His innings was cut short when he tried to play a sweep shot off Rashid, only for the delivery to hit the stumps, ending his brilliant knock at 112.
With this win, India completed a dominant 3-0 series sweep, bolstered by a brilliant batting display and disciplined bowling, while England’s inconsistent batting remained a cause for concern ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy.
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Didn't do anything wrong in this series: Rohit Sharma Ahmedabad: India absolutely steamrolled England in the three-game ODI series and secured a clean sweep with a 142-run win over the visitors in the third and final ODI at Narendra Modi Stadium here. Skipper Rohit Sharma, who entered the series with questions over his form, silenced his critics with an emphatic display by his side. The Indian captain believes his side did not put a foot wrong in the series but still claimed his ‘champion team wants to get better every game’. "I don't see anything that we did wrong in this series. There are certain things we are looking at but I am not going to stand here and discuss it. The players are comfortable having those chats. It is our job to keep some consistency within the squad and the communication is clear. In terms of skills, nothing I can discuss. Obviously, a champion team wants to get better every game and move forward,” said Rohit Sharma in the post-match presentation. The bilateral series was ultimately to prepare India for their 2025 Champions Trophy campaign which will see India face Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand in the eight-team tournament beginning on February 19. |
