The first ODI between India and England in Nagpur marked a new chapter for Indian cricket, as Rohit Sharma’s side introduced two fresh faces to the 50-over format—Harshit Rana and Yashasvi Jaiswal. With India gradually transitioning towards a new generation, these young talents will play a pivotal role in shaping the team’s future. Rana did not have the best of starts, getting 26 in one over from an aggressive Phil Salt, but he made an excellent comeback by the next spell.
It was in the 10th over when he dismissed Ben Duckett for 32 and followed it up by sending Harry Brook back on a duck, which gave India the crucial breakthrough. Jaiswal too marked his early presence—not with the bat but in the field. His incredible 20-yard sprint to take a stunning catch off Duckett’s mistimed shot left coach Ravi Shastri visibly excited in the dugout.
WATCH – Shreyas Iyer’s Rocket Throw Sends Phil Salt Packing In Nagpur ODI
Though the newcomers did impress, India suffered an early blow as skipper Virat Kohli had to sit out the match owing to a right knee injury during practice. But the injury doesn’t seem to be too grave, and he is likely to return for the next game. Kohli was observed warming up on the stadium, wearing a kneecap, but that wasn’t a sign that the problem isn’t that major.
Excellent Run-out 👍
Sensational Catch 👌Some fielding magic from #TeamIndia! 🪄 🙌
Follow The Match ▶️ https://t.co/lWBc7oPRcd#INDvENG | @ShreyasIyer15 | @ybj_19 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/lOp9r6URE4
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 6, 2025
Unofficial reports indicated Hardik Pandya was rushed to the hospital after stomach pain overnight on Wednesday; however, it was not clarified by the management. Finally, Pandya joined the playing eleven, while Kohli sat in the bench. With Kohli out of the mix, the team management awarded Jaiswal his first ODI cap, along with pace-bowling all-rounder Rana.
WATCH – Phil Salt Smashes 26 Runs In An Over Against Debutant Harshit Rana
Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami also returned to the ODI fold after missing out since the 2023 World Cup. Many had expected Varun Chakravarthy to make his debut after being drafted into the squad late, following a stellar performance in the T20I series where he bagged 14 wickets, including a five-wicket haul in Rajkot.
Before the game, skipper Rohit Sharma had given the hint that Chakravarthy might get a chance in one of the ODIs since the team management was pretty impressed with his T20I exploits. But India went for Harshit Rana and Chakravarthy is still waiting for his ODI debut.
