Rohit powers India to ODI series win over England

Second one-day international, Cuttack

England 304 (49.5 overs): Root 69 (72), Duckett 65 (56), Jadeja 3-35

India 308-6 (44.3 overs): Rohit 119 (90), Gill 60 (52), Overton 2-27

India won by four wickets, lead series 2-0

With a match to spare, India won the series, and England was completely defeated once more in the second one-day international in Cuttack.

England’s struggles on the road continued as they defeated their hosts by 305 runs before Rohit Sharma’s majestic 119 from 90 balls.

After a Liam Livingstone full toss was miscued in the 30th over, the opener was caught, but only 85 more runs were required at that point. With four wickets and 33 balls left, India fought back and still won.

While Rohit’s century was his first for India for 11 months, England are still searching for form under new coach Brendon McCullum.

A pair of Ben Duckett and Phil Salt opening partnership, which failed after Duckett was found guilty of 65, wasted a platform set.

With a ball remaining in England’s final 50 overs, Joe Root was the highest scorer despite all of the top six making it past 25.

The final match of the series, England’s last before their Champions Trophy opener against Australia on 22 February, is in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.

England have now lost six of their seven matches so far this tour, which was supposed to mark the start of a new era under McCullum and a rise in results.

Their batting was improved on the 4-1 T20 series defeat and 248 all out on Thursday, but as a tendency to collapse was overcome, another issue – a failure to capitalise on starts – reared its head.

No batter advanced to three figures, but they were ultimately denied. When batting was made easier under the lights, England’s total appeared significantly below par.

India’s spinners went at less than a run per ball while England’s quicks – Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Saqib Mahmood and Mark Wood all selected, with Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse rested – were punished as they hammered the middle of the pitch.

Rohit flogged anything short and timed anything high. A six over mid-wicket off Atkinson hinted at the 37-year-old’s return to form. It was confirmed by two more within the first six overs.

He was fortunate to survive a knock on 36, which England reviewed but which only clipped the top of the leg stump, but he and Shubman Gill combined for the first wicket and recorded a 136-run first-wicket haul that included a 60-run Overton yorker. Gill then scored his first hundred in 28 innings and rushed to his 100 in 76 balls.

After Rohit fell, Hardik Pandya was caught pulling to a deep square leg and Shreyas Iyer was thrown for 44.

India had a harder chase than anticipated, but through Rohit the damage had been done.

In the format, England still appears to be struggling with rhythm.

They have lost four ODI series in a row, their issues worsening rather than improving, after being defeated as 50-over world champions in India in 2023.

The openers in England’s recent run were tasked with handling early uneven bounce on the powerplay, but Salt and Duckett were both caught swinging across the line to spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Jadeja, respectively.

Root found some flow in the anchor role when he put on Harry Brook’s 66, who initially struggled but floated when breaking boundaries off the side.

From a position of strength at 168-2 in the 30th over, Brook was brilliantly caught for 31 by Gill running back from mid-off.

After easing 34 from 35 balls, skipper Jos Buttler sent Hardik to mid-off in the 39th over, and Root was furious after accidentally hitting Jadeja into long-off as he made an unsuccessful 43rd over.

England’s big finish was denied by those three wickets.

Livingstone recorded 41 of his 32 balls, but he never quite found his six-hit range, and Bethell or Jamie Smith, both of whom are still recovering from a calf injury, were exposed.

” The results aren’t there at the moment but we’ve got to keep the guys on task, play the style we want, and stay positive. “

India batter Shubman Gill:” I was feeling good when I was batting, batting with Rohit makes it a lot easier.

“Rohit took the ball well,” he said. It was amazing to watch him dominate the fast bowlers from the non-striker’s end.

Rohit Sharma, India’s captain and overall player, said, “I really enjoyed being out there and scoring some runs for the team.