The highly anticipated ODI series between the number 1 ranked team England and number 2 ranked team India will face each in 3 match series starting from 12th July at Trent Bridge. It promises to be a cracking series with both teams high on confidence.
England form in ODI format has been brilliant whitewashing Australia 5-0 in the recently concluded ODI series at home while India dominated South Africa in South Africa beating them 5-1. Last time, these two teams met in January 2017, India defeated England 2-1 in a high scoring series. When India toured England in 2014, under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, the Indian team defeated England by 3-1 in five match ODI series.
In both teams, there are players who can change the course of the game with their batting, bowling or all-round abilities.
Here we look at the 10 players to watch out for during England-India ODI series
- Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma performed brilliantly well in the 3rd T20I match against England at Bristol remaining not out on 100 off 56 balls. He is one of the dangerous openers in ODI cricket who can dominate the opposition bowlers with great stroke play.
In the ODI Series against South Africa this year, Rohit Sharma could score only 1 century and in the rest of 5 matches, he failed to score. He will be important to India’s cause in upcoming ODI series against England. The right-handed opener made his ODI debut for India on 23rd June 2007. He has played 180 ODI matches and scored 6594 runs with the highest score in ODI format of 264.
If Rohit Sharma could provide a great start to the Indian team, then the visitors are in a chance of winning the ODI series also.
- Alex Hales
Alex Hales is an aggressive number 3 ODI batsmen. He played a key role in helping England whitewashing Australia 5-0 in the recently concluded ODI series. In 3 match T20I series against India, Hales played some crucial knocks which made life tough for the Indian bowlers.
He made his ODI debut for England on 27th August 2014 at Cardiff. Hales has played 65 ODI’s and scored 2302 runs with an average of 38.36. His best score in ODI format is 171. If England openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow provide a good start, then Hales could play his natural game and help the hosts to post a massive total.
- KL Rahul
KL Rahul will play a key role in India’s ODI series against England. In India’s T20I series over England, Rahul came at number 3 and scored a century in the first T20I at Old Trafford. He made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe on 11th June 2016.
In his ODI career so far, KL Rahul has played 10 ODI’s and scored just 248 runs with the best score of 100*. The 3 match ODI series provides a chance for KL Rahul to cement his place in ODI side too for World Cup 2019. He could come at number 3 position in ODI series too.
If KL Rahul continues to play he is doing, then India can beat England with ease and the 3 match ODI series.
- Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler is one of the best finishers in ODI cricket at the present moment. Coming lower down the order, the right-handed batsman can change the course of the game with his power hitting. He made his ODI debut for England against Pakistan on 21st February 2012.
He has played 114 One day internationals and scored 3091 runs with the best score of 129. In the recently 5th ODI match against Australia, England had lost 4 quick wickets, Buttler steadied innings and scored a match-winning century to remain not out on 110. He has scored 6 centuries and 17 half-centuries so far with a strike rate of 117.52.
In the recently concluded T20I Series against India, Jos Buttler provided a great start to the team but was not enough to win the series.
If England is to win the ODI series against India, Jos Buttler needs to play a key role by playing positive cricket and help hosts to put pressure on less experienced bowling line-up without Jasprit Bumrah.
- Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep Yadav has been the star for Indian bowling line up since the 2017 Champions Trophy finals defeat against Pakistan. The left arm chinamen made his ODI debut for India against West Indies on 23rd June 2017.
He has played 20 ODI’s so far and has taken 39 wickets with an economy of 4.80 runs per over. In the ODI series against South Africa in February this year, along with Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav troubled the South Africa batsmen. His performances in ODI cricket have been outstanding with best figures of 4/23 and hattrick in ODI cricket.
In the first T20I match against England played at Old Trafford on 3rd July, Kuldeep Yadav registered his best T20I figures of 5/24 and helped India win the match. He would play a key role for India in the middle overs to pick wickets and control the run flow of England batsmen.
- Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes will play a key role in upcoming ODI series with both bat and ball. He has not played an ODI match for England on 10th March 2018 against New Zealand. In the recently concluded ODI series against Australia, Ben Stokes did not play due to an injury.
Yesterday against India in the 3rd T20I, he played but could not contribute many runs and did not pick wickets. He made his ODI debut for England on 25th August 2011 against Ireland. With the bat, Ben Stokes has played 67 ODI matches and scored 1791 runs with the best score of 102*.
With the ball, Ben Stokes has done a decent job taking 58 wickets from 67 matches with best figures of 5/61 at an economy of 6.06 runs per over. He has been included in the squad for ODI series and contributions from him would be vital for England chances.
- Shardul Thakur
Shardul Thakur has been named as a replacement for injured Jasprit Bumrah for 3 match ODI series. He performed well for India A in the tri-series involving England Lions and West Indies A.
He made his ODI debut for India against Sri Lanka on 31st August 2017. His last ODI match was against South Africa in the 6th One day international played at Centurion on 16th February 2018.
Shardul Thakur has played 7 ODI matches so far and taken so far 8 wickets with an economy of 8.80 runs per over with best figures of 4/27.
Shardul Thakur could be included in the playing XI and on good batting conditions, he needs to pick wickets and also not give many runs.
- Mark Wood
Mark Wood would play a key role in the upcoming ODI series against a strong Indian batting line up. He picked wickets in recently concluded ODI series against Australia. He made his ODI debut for England against Ireland on 8th May 2015.
So far in his ODI career, Mark Wood has taken 32 wickets from 31 matches with an economy of 5.49 runs per over. His best figures in ODI cricket is 4/33. With no Chris Woakes in the side and less experienced bowlers like Liam Plunkett, Jake Ball in the squad, Wood needs to take charge of the fast bowling attack.
Mark Wood need to pick early wickets to put pressure on a strong Indian batting line up and also stem the run flow in the death overs too.
- Siddarth Kaul
After a decent 3rd T20I match against England at Bristol yesterday, he has been included in the squad for 3 match ODI series. He bowled with good control in the two T20I matches against Ireland and England too.
Siddarth Kaul like in the T20I series might get a chance in playing XI for 3 match ODI series. He has done well for Punjab in the domestic season. In 61 List A matches, Kaul has taken 112 wickets with an economy of 5.02 runs per over. His best figures in 50 over domestic tournament are 6/39. If given a chance in the playing XI, Kaul would be eager to grab the chance with both hands.
- Moeen Ali
Another explosive all-rounder for England made his ODI debut against West Indies on 28th February 2014. He comes lower down the order and smashes the bowlers to all parts of the ground.
Moeen Ali has played 79 One day international matches so far and scored 1547 runs with the best score of 128. With the ball, the right arm off spinner has taken 72 wickets from 79 ODI matches at an economy of 5.08 runs per over. His best figures in ODI cricket has been 4/46.
In the upcoming ODI series against India, Moeen Ali needs to play a crucial role with both bat and ball to make sure that England wins the series. The England captain Eoin Morgan use Moeen Ali to pick wickets in middle over’s.
Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes would form a lethal combination for England. He was smashed for many runs in the 1st T20I match against India at Old Trafford and was dropped for remaining 2 matches.