India Beat England by Six Wickets, Take 1-0 Lead in ODI Series

Shubman Gill once again stamped his authority at Edgbaston , while Axar Patel delivered a superb all-round performance as India registered a convincing six-wicket victory over England in the opening ODI on Tuesday, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The win also marked India's first success of the ongoing United Kingdom tour , providing the visitors with early momentum in a series that forms a crucial part of their preparations for the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup .

Chasing a competitive target of 259 , India reached 262/4 in 45.2 overs , thanks to a classy 80 off 75 balls from skipper Gill before he retired hurt with calf cramps and a hamstring issue . The elegant right-hander struck 11 fours and a six , once again showcasing his exceptional record at Edgbaston, where he had scored 269 and 161 in last year's memorable Test victory over England.

India suffered early setbacks as Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (5) departed cheaply, leaving the visitors at 48/2 . Gill then steadied the innings with Shreyas Iyer (35) , the pair adding a vital 101 runs for the third wicket. Gill mixed caution with controlled aggression, producing a series of exquisite cover drives and on-drives before retiring hurt just as he appeared set for another ODI century.

England briefly clawed their way back into the contest after Gill's departure. Iyer was run out following a mix-up, while KL Rahul chopped a Josh Tongue delivery onto his stumps, reducing India to 160/4 . However, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar extinguished any hopes of an England comeback with an unbeaten 102-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Axar remained unbeaten on 57 off 52 balls , while Washington calmly made 52 not out , guiding India home with 28 balls to spare .

Earlier, England recovered from a dramatic collapse to post 258 all out in 47.5 overs after electing to bat. The hosts were cruising at 61 without loss before India's bowlers triggered a collapse that left them reeling at 107/6 .

The experienced Joe Root anchored England's recovery with an unbeaten 76 , while Liam Dawson struck a career-best 68 , as the duo stitched together a 121-run partnership for the seventh wicket to revive the innings. Their stand lifted England to a total that briefly looked competitive after the early collapse.

India's bowling attack was led by Axar Patel , who returned impressive figures of 4/62 , removing key lower-order batters after the Root-Dawson stand. Prasidh Krishna (2/50) and Gurnoor Brar (2/61) chipped in with timely wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah bowled with his trademark discipline to finish with 1/31 from nine overs , maintaining relentless pressure despite claiming only one wicket.

Axar capped a memorable outing by contributing with the bat, earning the Player of the Match award for his decisive all-round display. His partnership with Washington also highlighted India's batting depth, an area the team has sought to strengthen ahead of major ICC tournaments.

With the opening victory secured, India head into the second ODI in Cardiff brimming with confidence, while England will be looking for a stronger all-round performance to keep the series alive.