India take 1-0 lead in three-match series.

“For me it’s a big day. I started pretty well, luckily I got some early wickets. For me it doesn’t matter where I’m playing.” – MoM Kuldeep Yadav.

“Playing against spin is a challenge we will hopefully continue to improve on. We might need to sit in or a better way to play him.” – England captain Eoin Morgan.

“Kuldeep was outstanding, I don’t think I’ve seen a better ODI spell in a while. We want him confident because we know he can be a match winner.” – India skipper Virat Kohli.

India win by eight wickets.
Rahul hits the winning run. Most of the leg work in the chase was done by Rohit Sharma, who smashed another century. His partnership with Kohli for the second wicket all but took away the game from England’s grasp. England, though, will rue their batting effort especially against Kuldeep Yadav who walked away with a six-wicket haul.

India 267/2 after 40 overs. They need another 2 runs to win from 60 balls.
England have been totally outplayed today. With the ball and the bat. It has been a reality check. England came into the series following a 5-0 thrashing of Australia. India, though, have romped home in the opening game of the five-match ODI series.

After 36 overs, India 239/2.
Rohit Sharma has raced to 118 now. India still need another 30 runs from 14 overs. With Rahul in the middle with him, it shouldn’t take long for the duo to knock the remaining runs in a jiffy.

After 33 overs, India 226/2.
WICKET! Kohli stumped! The batsman fails to read Rashid’s legbreak. He’s drawn forward and is beaten. Buttler behind the stumps is quick with his glove work and Kohli has to walk back.
Kohli st Buttler b Rashid 75 (82b 7x4)

After 32 overs, India 224/1
Another over, another Rohit Sharma six. Oh, now he’s just showing off! A straight six off Moeen Ali with one hand coming off the grip. Rohit is on fire.

After 31 overs, India 215/1
CENTURY FOR THE HITMAN! Gets to his 18th ton in ODIs with a six down the ground. “One of the greatest white-ball cricketers,” says Nasser Hussain on air. Tough to argue there. What a player!

After 30 overs, India 207/1
A measure of India’s dominance in this phase of play. In the last 5 overs, they have made 38 runs. In the last 10 overs, 79 runs. Filled with Virat Kohli’s cover drives too, mind you. Rohit Sharma has been limping a little bit and is now trying to finish this match in a hurry. Roy gives him a reprieve with a dropped chance at point.

After 28 overs, India 199/1 (Rohit 49*, Kohli 42*)
Apologies for the lack of updates. Technical issues at our end. Wondering what happened at Trent Bridge in the mean time? Absolutely no issues for India! Rohit Sharma has raced into the 90s, Virat Kohli has notched up his 47th half century. It’s been a walk in the park (and that would be an understatement) for India...

After 21 overs, India 128/1 (Rohit 49*, Kohli 42*)

After 17 overs, India 114/1 (Rohit 44*, Kohli 29*)
Rohit and Kohli have now added 54 runs for the second wicket. The Dhawan wicket had handed some momentum to England, however the duo’s stable stand since then has put India on course.

After 15 overs, India 104/1 (Rohit 42*, Kohli 21*)
100 up for India. The visitors are coasting towards the target as Rohit and Kohli add 45 runs for the second wicket. Rohit has also moved in to the forties.

After 11 overs, India 83/1 (Rohit 33*, Kohli 9*).
Kohli does not change his batting position comes in at No 3. KL Rahul will have to come down the order. Meanwhile, Rohit continues to thrive. Keeps finding the boundary.

After 8 overs, India 59/1
WICKET! Moeen Ali hands England the breakthrough. Dhawan goes down the pitch and plays across the line. There’s no turn but he doesn’t get to the pitch of the ball. He’s aiming for the leg side but the ball takes an edge and balloons up into the hands of the fielder at backward point.
Dhawan c Rashid b Ali 40 (27b 8x4)

After 7 overs, India 53/0.
50 up for India! Rohit smashes Wood for a six. He times it wonderfully. The ball is pitched full outside off. The batsman gets to the pitch of the ball and stokes it straight over the long off fence.

After 5 overs, India 38/0 (Dhawan 32*, Rohit 4*)
Dhawan now targets Wood. Smashes three boundaries from that over. The bowler sprays it around. Dhawan doesn’t need an invitation to go on the offensive.

After 4 overs, India 24/0.
Of his 19 runs so far, Dhawan has scored 16 in boundaries. He gets one of them against Willey as India begin briskly in the chase of 269.

After 3 overs, India 19/0
Wood replicates his tight gnawing line from the opening over. Dhawan who had looked threatening against Willey, adopts a more defensive approach. Concedes only three runs again.

After 2 overs, India 16/0 (Dhawan 13*, Rohit 3*)
Dhawan goes after Willey. Smashes three boundaries to hand India a brisk start. The bowler tried to pitch it up trying to get some swing, but there wasn’t any on offer. Dhawan made most of the opportunity.

After 1 over, India 3/0.
Sedate start from India. Both openers see off the over from Wood watchfully. Only three runs come off that over.

England bowled out for 268 in 49.5 overs.
First the pacers kept them in check and then Kuldeep wielded his magic. England’s batsmen just could not launch into an offensive on a venue experts said was set to witness another high-scoring match. England’s openers were primed for a big stand after they weathered the early storm from Umesh and Kaul. However, Kuldeep once again proved to difficult to pick for the Englishmen who fell one after the other he picked up a six-wicket haul.

WICKET! Plunkett is the last man to depart after being run-out trying to convert a single into two.
Plunkett run out 10 (6b 1x4)

WICKET! Rashid holes out in the deep. Umesh gets his second wicket. England still have nine wickets down with five deliveries left.
Rashid c Pandya b Umesh 22 (16b 1x4 1x6)

After 49 overs, England 260/8.
Rashid makes optimal use of the scoop. Dispatches Kaul for a six and then a boundary. The latter is judged to be a leg bye, but he will take it. England have passed the 250-run mark.

After 48 overs, 246/8.
WICKET! Umesh removes Moeen Ali. The batsman had just smashed a six and four. He eyes another one but holes out. He’s caught out at deep midwicket by Kohli.
Moeen Ali c Kohli b Umesh 24 (23b 2x4 1x6)

After 47 overs, England 234/7.
Moeen Ali gets two boundaries in off the bowling of Kaul as England near the 250-run mark. England need a few more of those.

After 44 overs, England 216/7.
WICKET! SIX WICKETS for Kuldeep! Willey holes out in the deep looking to slog one out of the park. England seven down! He finishes with figures of 10-0-25-6.
Willey c Rahul b Kuldeep 1 (4b)

WICKET! Five-for for Kuldeep! Removes Stokes who had just reached his half-century. Looks for a reverse sweep but can’t clear Kaul at backward point who completes a fine diving catch.
Stokes c Kaul b Kuldeep 50 (103b 2x4)

England 209/5 after 42 overs (Stokes 48*, Moeen 5*)
England have now not scored a boundary in the last 48 deliveries. This is the same venue where they had blasted 481 against Australia last month.

England 202/5 after 40 overs.
200 up for England. The Buttler dismissal has come at the wrong time. But, Moeen Ali has joined Stokes, who is well-set to launch. Both batsmen can clear the fence with ease. However, so far, Stokes has struggled to make that happen having scored just two boundaries.

England 198/5 after 39 overs.
WICKET! Kuldeep once again hands India a much needed breakthrough. Buttler looks to play a ball going down leg and edges it the keeper. The dismissal ends a 93-run stand between Buttler and Stokes.
Buttler c Dhoni b Kuldeep 53 (51b 5x4)

England 188/4 after 36 overs (Buttler 50*, Stokes 37*)
50 up for Buttler! He gets there in 45 deliveries. Crucial knock by the batsman. His partnership with Stokes has set England up comfortably for a late flourish.

England 182/4 after 35 overs.
Partnership is now up to 78 between Stokes and Buttler, the latter 4 runs away from a brilliant fifty.

England 170/4 after 33 overs. (Stokes 33*, Buttler 38*)
Skipper Kohli shuffling his bowlers around to keep Stokes and Buttler on their toes. The batting pair though are doing a good job of keeping the scoreboard ticking.

England 162/4 after 31 overs. (Stokes 30*, Buttler 31*)
Stokes and Buttler have now added 57 runs for the fifth wicket. The gritty partnership keeping England’s hopes of a competitive total alive.

England 154/4 after 29 overs.
Kuldeep and Chahal bowling in tandem now. Stokes and Buttler, though, are sticking around. They seem to be attacking Chahal while refraining from playing expansive shots against Kuldeep.

England 142/4 after 26 overs (Stokes 23*, Buttler 18*)
Kuldeep returns for a new spell. He keeps it tidy. Kohli has brought him back to break the stand between Stokes and Buttler. He concedes just two runs in the over.

England 134/4 after 25 overs
Buttler and Stokes have now strung together a useful partnership for the fifth wicket. India’s spinners have dominated proceedings so far, but the duo is keeping hopes of a competitive total alive.

England 124/4 after 24 overs.
Stokes finally gets moving with a boundary off Pandya. Before this he had scored just eight runs from 36 balls. it’s been slow going for England after that Kuldeep spell.

England 107/4 after 20 overs.
WICKET! Chahal removes Morgan. Loose shot from the batsman who hits a full delivery straight to the short midwicket. England four down.
Morgan c Raina b Chahal 19 (20b)

England 104/3 (Morgan 19*, Stokes 3*)
100 up for England! Morgan smashes Pandya for a six and a boundary as England cross the 100-run mark. The boundaries will come as a relief for the hosts who were put under pressure in the past couple of overs.

England 92/3 after 18 overs.
Kuldeep finishes his first spell with figures of 4-0-9-3. Changed the complexion of the game completely. His breakthroughs came at the right time for India with England cruising at 73/0 at the stage.

England 86/3 after 16 overs.
Raina proving to be the perfect foil to Kuldeep. The spinners have completely dried up the boundaries. England are struggling to keep the scoreboard ticking. In the last 18 balls, 2 runs and 2 wickets.

England 82/3 after 13 overs.
WICKET! Kuldeep gets his third! This time its Bairstow who is trapped in front. The umpire had turned down the appeal but DRS sees the decision overturned. The ball pitched on leg and would have gone on the hit the off-stump.
Bairstow lbw Kuldeep 38 (35b 5x4 1x6)

WICKET! Kuldeep traps Root in front! Two wickets in two overs for the chinaman bowler. Forces the batsman on the back foot. The batsman fails to pick the turn and is rapped on the pads.
Root lbw Kuldeep 3 (6b)

England 77/1 after 11 overs.
WICKET! Kuldeep hands India the breakthrough! Roy chooses to play a pre-meditated a reverse sweep, but fails in his execution. It balloons up and is caught at cover.
Roy c Umesh b Kuldeep 38 (35b 6x4)

England 71/0 after 10 overs.
Umesh and Kaul get a breather as Kohli introduces Chahal and Hardik into the attack. The change in bowlers, though, hasn’t changes the approach of the openers, though. They chip in a boundary in either over to keep England moving.

England 56/0 after 8 overs (Roy 24*, Bairstow 30*)
Bairstow brings up England’s 50 with the first six of the innings off Kaul. The bowler pitches it short, the batsman gets underneath it and smashes it well over the boundary.

England 47/0 after 7 overs.
Umesh dispatched for two consecutive boundaries by Roy this time. England’s openers haven’t batted with ease but are now getting into the groove having protected the wickets through the tense start.

England 37/0 after 6 overs (Kaul 3-0-17-0, Umesh 3-0-19-0).
Roy, Bairstow seem to have settled down now and have begun expressing themselves. The pacers also are losing steam. Kaul concedes 11 runs in the over.

England 26/0 after 5 overs (Roy 8*, Bairstow 16*)
India’s pacers have done exceptionally well so far. The ball isn’t doing much off the pitch or in the air, but a tight line and length by both Umesh and Kaul has so far kept the openers in check.

England 21/0 after 4 overs (Roy 7*, Bairstow 12*)
Siddharth Kaul keeps it tight, concedes just one run in the fourth over. The pitch is flat and the boundaries short, but India’s bowlers have done well to keep the openers in check early on thanks to a disciplined approach.

England 20/0 after 3 overs (Roy 6*, Bairstow 12*)
Umesh over pitches and is smashed for two consecutive boundaries by Bairstow. England get going.

England 11/0 after 2 overs (Roy 5*, Bairstow 4*).
Bairstow gets off the mark with a boundary off Siddharth Kaul. Ruins an otherwise fine over from the debutant. The bowlers are keeping the length up and banking on some late movement. There have been a few close shaves but openers have done well to weather the early storm.

England 6/0 after 1 over (Roy 4*, Bairstow 0*)
Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow open the innings. Umesh gets an outside edge off the former’s blade first up, but it trickles down to the boundary with just one slip in place. Squares up Bairtsow as well. Off the final delivery he even raps the batsman on the pads. The Indians appeal, but the umpire turns it down. Replays show it would have hit the stumps. Fortunately for the hosts, Kohli chose not to ask for review.

India win the toss and choose to bowl first.

IND XI: RG Sharma, S Dhawan, L Rahul, V Kohli, S Raina, MS Dhoni, H Pandya, S Kaul, K Yadav, U Yadav, Y Chahal.
ENG XI: J Roy, J Bairstow, J Root, E Morgan, J Buttler, B Stokes, M Ali, D Willey, L Plunkett, A Rashid, M Wood

KL Rahul, Siddharth Kaul in. Bhuvneshwar Kumar misses out.
Alex Hales misses out due to injury. David Malan comes in as his replacement.

It was at Thursday’s venue - Nottingham - that England scored 481/6 against Australia last month to trump their total of 444/3 against Pakistan in August 2016 at the same ground.

Happy headache
KL Rahul’s stupendous form has been a happy headache for the team management and there is a possibility that the captain might come at No 4 in order to give Rahul a chance to make optimum use of his current form.

India vice captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday lauded KL Rahul’s recent exploits but stated that Rahul’s position in the batting order would depend on where skipper Virat Kohli opts to bat.

“It will either be No 3 or 4. I don’t know where the captain wants to bat. That will be the most important question,” Rohit said.

Preview
On a high after an impressive Twenty20 series win, an upbeat India will eye another dominant performance against hosts England in a three-match ODI series, which can be termed as a ‘dry run’ ahead of the World Cup next year.

With cricket’s blue riband tournament scheduled to be held in UK next year, the ODI series will give Virat Kohli an ideal opportunity to get a drift about the conditions that his men are expected to encounter at exactly same time next year.

While India will be buoyed by their 2-1 T20 series win, England, the top ranked ODI team in world cricket, come into the series having crushed a below-par Australia 6-0 in their last bilateral engagement.

England have been one of the finest 50 over sides in recent times and India will have their task cut against a batting line-up comprising Jos Buttler, Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Jonny Bairstow and Eoin Morgan. Add Ben Stokes to it and England bear a formidable look.

It is a reputation built on fearless, attacking cricket that has seen England win 46 out of 69 ODIs since a disastrous 2015 World Cup. Their last bilateral series’ defeat came in India in January 2017, with only a freak one-off loss to Scotland in the interim.