India continued to dominate England in ODI cricket, registering a sixth straight win over the hosts to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The visitors chased down 259 with 28 balls to spare, ending England’s 12-year unbeaten run at Edgbaston.While India’s clinical victory grabbed the headlines, a single stroke from Rohit Sharma at the start of the chase caused confusion. The veteran opener released a photo shoot of Jofra Archer that left fans and critics in awe.England elected to bat first after winning the toss at their home ground, Edgbaston, where they are unbeaten in Men’s ODIs since 2014. However, India’s respectable failure reduced the hosts to 258 before the visitors completed the chase.
Rohit Sharma’s ‘nataraja shot’ leaves Dinesh Karthik in awe
The time came in the sixth hour of the Indian innings. Archer bowled one short, but Rohit was quick to read the length. He jumped into position and sent the ball over mid-leg for a top boundary. The beauty of the stroke prompted commentator Dinesh Karthik to compare it to Rohit’s ‘Nataraja Shot’ shot, popularly named after the legend of Lord Nataraja. As Rohit went for one leg after pulling it to perfection.India ended England’s 12-year unbeaten streak in Men’s ODIs at Edgbaston with a convincing six-wicket win in the first ODI. The bowlers got off to a good start, reaching an unbeaten 61, before the Indian bowlers started a slump that saw them reeling at 80/5. Joe Root held the innings together with an unbeaten 76, while Liam Dawson added a valuable 68. Their partnership of 111 helped England back to 258 before being dismissed.Axar Patel played a key role with the ball, taking four wickets and breaking the backbone of England’s batting line-up with figures of 4/62.India’s chase was built on the back of another decisive knock from captain Shubman Gill, who scored 80 before retiring due to injury and sprains. The visitors lost a bit of interest after slipping to 160/4, but Axar Patel and Washington Sundar combined to snuff out England’s hopes. The pair put together an unbeaten stand of 102, with Axar finishing on 57* and Sundar remaining unbeaten on 52, as India sealed victory with 28 to spare.
