CHENNAI: A classy fifty from Shubman Gill, clinical bowling performance from the pace trio — including the return of Jasprit Bumrah — and the low scores from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli at the top will continue to remain the talking points from the first ODI between India and England at Edgbaston.
The one template, which has been in place for a while now, that would warrant a discussion is India’s middle-order after they dismissed England for 258 on Tuesday. Their No 5-8 in the team sheet read Washington Sundar, KL Rahul, Axar Patel, and Shivam Dube. Though it is far from the first XI they would like to have come the 2027 ODI World Cup, the messaging has been clear. Rahul will be their No 6 and in all likelihood a left-hander, and potentially an all-rounder, will be their No 5.
And it is not new either. Since Gautam Gambhir took over, Rahul has been quietly moved down a spot. The versatile batter has scored runs in No 6 as well, and even spoke about it last year during the South Africa series. “Batting at No 6 is okay, gotta do the job for the team. That’s the role I’ve been given in the last 2-3 series. It’s helping personal development,” he had said after the first ODI in Ranchi last year.
Interestingly, in the five matches he featured this year, Rahul has batted at No 5 thrice. On Tuesday, however, Washington came in ahead of Rahul, but it did not matter. With Gill retired hurt, he technically came in at No 5 but fell early, leaving Axar and Washington in the middle with the scoreboard reading 140/6.
From thereon, the two all-rounders took it upon themselves to recover the innings and build a partnership. When they came together, India needed 99 runs in 22.1 overs on a surface that still had some assistance for the pacers. The target was less than run-a-ball and the duo put their heads down to build a partnership. Washington finished off the chase with a six to get to his fifty (52 n.o) but it was Axar (57 n.o) who led the way for India. The Baroda all-rounder countered the pace and bounce with ease and scored a breezy half-century in 39 balls. It then allowed Washington to catch up and cross the milestone and help India get back to winning ways.
While the chase was clinical after the mid-inning troubles, this combination and the template pose an interesting way forward for India. There could be a number of reasons why Rahul has been preferred at No 6 by Gambhir. His preference to have a left-hander in the top five remains one. The other potential reason could also be to counter that new rule where only one ball will be used from both ends in the last 16 overs of an innings.
