India vs England 3rd ODI: The third and final ODI between India and England at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium has already delivered a spectacle, with Shubman Gill’s majestic century headlining India’s commanding first-innings total of 356. England, chasing 357 to avoid a series whitewash, face an uphill battle under lights, but not without moments of grit and tension. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the action so far.
India’s Innings: Gill Shines, Rashid’s Spin Strikes
Gill’s Milestone Masterclass
Shubman Gill marked his 50th ODI appearance with a sublime 112 off 109 balls, anchoring India’s innings after skipper Rohit Sharma fell to Mark Wood’s fiery first-over delivery. Gill’s seventh ODI century, a record for most hundreds by an Indian in their first 50 ODIs, featured elegant drives and fearless pulls, including a six off Gus Atkinson that brought up his ton.
Kohli, Iyer, and Middle-Order Momentum
Virat Kohli (52 off 50) partnered Gill in a 116-run stand, ticking closer to the 14,000 ODI-run milestone, while Shreyas Iyer’s blistering 78 off 64 injected late acceleration. However, Adil Rashid’s crafty leg-spin derailed India’s charge, as he claimed 4/64, his best figures in India, including key wickets of Kohli, Gill, and Hardik Pandya.
Lower-Order Contributions
KL Rahul’s brisk 40 and cameos from Axar Patel (22) and Arshdeep Singh (15*) pushed India past 350, despite a late collapse of 3/3 in the final seven balls (India vs England 3rd ODI).
England’s Bowling: Mixed Fortunes
England’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss 2 initially paid dividends with Wood’s early breakthrough. However, their pace attack struggled for consistency, with Gus Atkinson (1/74) and Saqib Mahmood (1/65) leaking runs. Rashid’s spin emerged as their saving grace, exploiting the dry pitch’s grip to dismantle India’s middle order.
England’s Chase: Early Jitters and Duckett’s Scare
Duckett’s Painful Start
England’s chase began shakily, with Ben Duckett surviving a painful blow to the groin off Harshit Rana. Despite limping, Duckett counterattacked with two fours before play paused briefly for treatment.
Salt’s Resilience
Opener Phil Salt (1*) showed composure amid variable bounce, including a delivery from Arshdeep Singh that stayed dangerously low, striking KL Rahul’s knee during a bye. At 10/0 after two overs, England’s openers face a stern test against India’s pace duo of Rana and Arshdeep.
Key Context and Milestones
- Series Significance: India, leading 2-0, aim for a clean sweep to boost morale ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy.
- Pitch Dynamics: The black-soil surface, used in the 2023 World Cup final, offered early seam movement but eased under lights. Dew could favour England’s chase.
- Tactical Changes: India rested Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami, handing opportunities to Kuldeep Yadav and Arshdeep Singh 2. England recalled Tom Banton, playing his first ODI since 2020.
What’s Next?
With 357 needed, England’s middle order-led by Joe Root and Jos Buttler, must replicate their 2019 World Cup heroics. India’s spinners, particularly Kuldeep Yadav, will aim to exploit the slowing pitch. All eyes remain on Duckett’s fitness and whether dew amplifies England’s batting firepower (India vs England 3rd ODI).
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