Last Updated on 33 minutes ago by Charbel Coorey
After a one-sided win (4-0) in the T20I series, England and India will meet in a three-match ODI series. Edgbaston, Birmingham, will host the first ODI on 14th July.
England will be the confident side for this game, as they’ve completely overpowered the Indian team in the T20I series. The Indian bowlers couldn’t contain the runs while the batters looked clueless against the high pace and bounce of Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue.
Harry Brook (229 runs in 4 innings) toyed with the Indian bowling, while the likes of Jos Buttler (131 runs in the 5th T20I) and Jacob Bethell did well in the T20I series. They will be looking to transfer this form to the ODIs.
Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, and Sam Curran picked up seven wickets each and never allowed the Indian batters to get going. Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson will be the frontline spinners for England with the likes of Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks supporting them.
A lot will be at stake for the Indian side, and they’ll be itching to get going and clinch this ODI series. The return of veterans like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah will bolster the Indian team’s strength as well as their morale.
KL Rahul will add more depth to the Indian batting. It will be interesting to see how the likes of Gurnoor Brar and Prince Yadav fare in the 50-over format. Shreyas Iyer was the only batter who looked in good touch and was consistent in the T20I series from the Indian camp.
In this article, we will look at the possible XIs, stats and matchups, and fantasy cricket tips for the first ODI between England and India.
ENG vs IND 1st ODI 2026 Possible Playing XIs: Rohit, Virat, Bumrah set to feature in an ODI XI together for the first time since 2023
England have confirmed their playing XI. Jacob Bethell is listed to open and they have plenty of spin options.
England: 1. Ben Duckett. 2. Jacob Bethell, 3. Joe Root, 4. Harry Brook (c), 5. Jos Buttler (wk), 6. Sam Curran, 7. Will Jacks, 8. Jofra Archer, 9. Liam Dawson, 10. Adil Rashid, 11. Josh Tongue
Rohit, Virat and Bumrah are set to feature in an ODI together for the first time in 32 months.
India: 1. Rohit Sharma, 2. Shubman Gill (c), 3. Virat Kohli, 4. Ishan Kishan, 5. Shreyas Iyer, 6. KL Rahul (wk), 7. Shivam Dube, 8. Axar Patel/Gurnoor Brar, 9. Kuldeep Yadav, 10. Jasprit Bumrah, 11. Arshdeep Singh
Edgbaston Birmingham Pitch Report and Weather: Spin to play a key role?
A good batting wicket is expected at Edgbaston, with the batters to largely enjoy time at the crease. England scored 400 runs while batting first in the last ODI played here (against the West Indies). There might be some movement for the pacers with the new ball, and the spinners will come into play as the game progresses, with England’s XI providing a hint to the conditions. Expect decent scores.
The weather will be clear with no chance of rain. The temperature will be around 24 degrees Celsius during the game time. Dew shouldn’t affect the game.
Fantasy Cricket Tips for ENG vs IND 1st ODI: Players to Watch/Key Stats
Top Wicket-Keeper Picks:
- Jos Buttler scored a brilliant 131 runs in the last T20I against India. It was a much-needed innings for him after a string of poor scores. His role will be different in the ODI format, but he’ll be a key batter for his side. However, he has a modest record against India: 23 inns, 527 runs, avg. 22.91, SR 84.86.
- KL Rahul has 301 runs in 13 ODIs against England at an average of 27.40 with a fifty and a hundred. He is a good player of spin bowling as well as high pace and will play an important role for India in the middle order.
Key batter picks:
- Virat Kohli has 1397 runs in 38 ODIs against England at an average of 41.10 with 10 fifties and three centuries. Kohli’s arguably the best at number 3 and will be a must in your fantasy teams and a top C/VC option as well.
- Joe Root has 851 runs in 23 ODIs against India at an average of 42.50 with four fifties and three hundreds. Root will be a key batter at 3 for England, as he can hold one end and play according to the situation.
- Harry Brook looks to be in the form of his life. He’s playing unorthodox shots with ease and can easily take on spin as well as pace. Brook at number 4 will be the best batter for England coming into this series. He will be a top C/VC option as well.
- Shreyas Iyer will bat in the middle order for India. He is an excellent player of the 50-over format and has been in good form as well. Iyer can help India take the upper hand in the middle overs and will be an excellent C/VC option too.
- Shubman Gill has 268 runs in just 4 ODIs against England at an average of 67 with two fifties and a hundred. He’s been in superb form in ODIs lately and has scored 373 runs in five innings this year at an average of 93 with three fifties and a century to his name. Gill will be the best C/VC pick.
Top all-rounder picks:
- Sam Curran will bowl the crucial overs for England and will be important with the bat too. He played well in the T20I series, and you shouldn’t miss out on him for this game.
Key bowler picks:
- Jasprit Bumrah has 17 wickets in seven ODIs against England. He is amongst the best in the world and a proven match-winner. Bumrah can cause troubles for the English batters and will be a must pick.
- Jofra Archer will again look to cause trouble to the Indian top order with his pace and bounce. The Indian batters had no answers to him in the T20I series. Archer has played only two ODIs against India and has picked up one wicket.
Other Players to Consider for Your Fantasy Cricket Teams
- Rohit Sharma
- Adil Rashid
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Ishan Kishan
- Ben Duckett
- Josh Tongue
Other Matchups and Facts
- Head to Head: 110 ODI matches; India 61 and England 44.
- Virat Kohli vs. Adil Rashid (ODIs): 112 runs, 5 dismissals in 130 deliveries.
- Rohit Sharma vs. Adil Rashid (ODIs): 116 runs, 2 dismissals in 99 deliveries.
- Joe Root vs. Jasprit Bumrah (T20s): 36 runs, 3 dismissals in 39 deliveries.
ENG vs IND 1st ODI 2026 Dream11 Prediction Today: Batters expected to perform well in this game
Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams.
Option 1:
Option 2:
ENG vs IND 1st ODI Match Prediction: Who will win?
It won’t be very easy for England to win the ODI series, as India have their big guns back for this series. But the Indian bowlers, apart from Jasprit Bumrah, will have to be on their toes. England, on the other hand, will bat deep, and they have a strong bowling unit too.
Team India will have to be at their best, especially with the ball if they are to win this game.
