
Prateek Thakur
abplive|12-07-2026
England vs India 1st ODI: India has commenced preparations for the upcoming three-match One Day International series against England following their recent short-format defeat. The opening fixture takes place in Birmingham on Tuesday, marking a critical transition for the touring side. Several senior players return to the national squad to strengthen the lineup after an extended absence from international cricket.
Captain Shubman Gill will have access to a full-strength squad as he organises the tactical blueprint for the opening match.
The return of established players alters the team balance significantly.Virat Kohli returns to the middle order after missing the previous series against Afghanistan due to an injury. The batsman has recovered fully to reclaim his regular position.
Shreyas Iyer will fill the number four slot after leading the T20 squad. He will focus purely on his batting role to help the team rebuild its momentum.
Experienced batsman KL Rahul will take the number five position while handling wicketkeeping duties. He scored 139 runs against Afghanistan and provides stability to the lower order.
Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma will open the batting to exploit the early powerplay overs. The pair performed well during their recent domestic assignments against the Afghan team.
Gill accumulated 238 runs during that previous series, while Sharma contributed 143 runs. The team management relies on this partnership to establish solid platforms on English pitches.
The bowling department receives a major boost with the inclusion of premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
He joins Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, and Gurnur Brar in the seam attack.Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav will manage the spin department during the middle overs. Both slow bowlers seek to improve after struggling during the preceding T20 matches.
The format change allows the national team to correct the mistakes made during the earlier leg of the tour. The squad looks balanced with senior players returning.
The management expects the experienced bowling attack to exploit the local conditions effectively.
Limiting the English scoring rate remains the primary target for the new ball unit.The upcoming fixture provides an immediate opportunity to alter the narrative of the tour. Achieving technical consistency in the middle order is vital for a positive series result.
India Probable 11: Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnur Brar




