New Delhi: England have named their playing X1 for the first ODI against India at the VCA Ground in Nagpur scheduled to be held on February 5, Thursday. The Three Lions have picked start batter Joe Root, who will play his first one-day international after 14 months since his appearance at the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. The 34-year-old English icon will bat at number three behind openers Phil Salt and Ben Duckett.
Root’s last ODI was the final match of their damaging World Cup title defence against Pakistan in Kolkata on 11 November 2023.
Root, who played a key role in England’s 2019 World Cup winning campaign, has struggled since then in the 50-over format. He averages just 28.95 in 28 matches since the home World Cup and has not scored an ODI century in more than five years.
Back in the ODI team 🤩
Watch our 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 sit down with Joe Root, right here 👇
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 5, 2025
Bethell preferred over Overton
The visitors have preferred Jacob Bethell to Jamie Overton at number seven. Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer and Saqib Mahmood will form the three-man pace attack. Mark Wood, who made a comeback from injury in the T20I series, missed out. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith was ruled out with a calf injury.
Smith is set to miss the next ODI on February 9 too with Phil Salt set to perform wicketkeeping duties in his absence. Smith left the field during the third T20 in Rajkot on 28 January and subsequently missed the final two T20Is as India won the series 2-1.
The three-match series acts as India’s and England’s preparations for the Champions Trophy, starting on February 19 in Karachi.
This is England’s first ODI series under head coach Brendon McCullum, who would hope to reverse the fortunes of the Three Lions, who have lost their past three ODI series.
England XI for 1st India ODI: Phil Salt (WK), Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (C), Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood
England include star batter, making a comeback after 14 years, in the playing XI for the opening ODI against India at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
