Road to South Africa underway: Washington Sundar, Axar Patel deliver with bat and ball at Edgbaston | Cricket News

Axar Patel (left) and Washington Sundar added an unbeaten 102 runs for the fifth wicket in the first ODI against England. (BCCI | X)

TimesofIndia.com in Birmingham: All round Axar Patel and Washington Sundar good guidance Team India 259-run chase in the first ODI against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Tuesday. The six-wicket win ended India’s three-week winless streak in the UK, which saw a 0-2 defeat by Ireland and a 0-4 whitewash against England in the T20I series. The win extended India’s unbeaten streak against England in ODIs to six consecutive victories and ended England’s seven-match streak at Edgbaston.A stand of 102 between Axar and Washington for the fifth wicket, under a hot sun, lifted the clouds that had briefly gathered on India’s march to victory. In the 20th minute, India lost skipper Shubman Gill to a concussion, Shreyas Iyer finished, and KL Rahul, who pulled most of the load on his stumps. India went from 149/2 to 160/4 in a jiffy, with three behind in the cabin. England, bounced back by a 101-run partnership between Gill (80 off 75 balls) and Iyer (35 off 53 balls), roared with delight, as did the 20,744 in attendance. ‘Wonderwall’, ‘It’s Coming Home’ and ‘Hey Jude’ talked around FIFA World Cup fever, fueled by Harry Kane & Co.With 99 runs still needed, the challenge was less than the required 4.5 and over pace and the sudden pace control after losing three quick wickets. Both Axar and Washington had just arrived there and faced a difficult task. Instead of being troubled, the southpaws, India’s first left-handed XI behind the right-handed quartet, rose to the challenge.

India’s Axar Patel and Washington Sundar celebrate their partnership in the 1st ODI against England, at the Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham on Tuesday. (ANI photo)

The pair got the better of Will Jacks and Sam Curran, with four overs yielding just nine runs. Adil Rashid’s recovery allowed Washington to free his arms with a boundary and nine overs. The next two overs, as Curran and Jacks continued, yielded 18 runs, with the pair’s confidence growing.Axar was the main character at this time. Jacks slip and consecutive boundaries from Jofra Archer meant that the run started to pick up. On the other end, Washington loved watching his teammates hit.

“The way they fought was magical and it was interesting for me to watch from another side,” he said at the post-match press conference.The next four overs showed the same style of heading. As the fifty partnership came and went, the duo collected nine runs in three overs as they saw Archer score 10 overs. The next two overs produced another 19 runs, allowing Axar and Washington to slow things down again in the next three overs.After running the chase to perfection, the pair grew in confidence and motivation, fittingly with Washington’s shot in the 45th that sealed the match. A floated delivery from Adil Rashid was full and inbound for the 26-year-old, who sent them soaring over long-on for a six-run win.

Axar Patel (left) welcomes the crowd after reaching his fifty in the first ODI against England at Edgbaston (BCCI | X)

“We thought we lost a couple of wickets right now, we have to build a partnership right now. And after four, five, we’ll figure out what we need to do because of how we started, and I think we’re ahead of the game. So we just have to make a deal and just finish the game,” said Player of the Match Axar Patel.Skipper Gill, whose availability for the two-day Cardiff ODI was not confirmed, was happy to see India’s batting depth being tested and delivered well.

When you see that your middle order and lower middle order are running and thus completing the team’s work, you have more confidence as a captain and as a top batsman.

Shubman Gill

“When you see your middle order and your lower middle order go faster and finish the team’s work, you feel more confident as a captain and a better batsman,” Gill explained.What the first ODI showed was India coach Gautam Gambhir’s desire to have a left-handed batsman ahead of KL Rahul. At Edgbaston, the position went to Washington. In last year’s India Champions Trophy win, Axar was the best way forward. It has also helped Rahul get used to the 6 overs. Since 2025, he has scored 291 runs at an average of 36.37 and a strike rate of 99.31. That’s not to say he hasn’t made a mark at No. 5. The same can be said about Axar, who was also tested at No. 5 is given.

Washington Sundar (right) and Axar Patel (left) scored half-centuries against England in the first ODI. (BCCI | X)

This selection problem may resolve itself as only one of Axar or Washington will feature regularly in India’s preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa. If Hardik Pandya and Harshit Rana get fit again, there could be room for spin-bowling rotation.Meanwhile, Axar and Washington have built a reputation for themselves, and India’s road to the 2027 ODI World Cup is well underway.