England falls short again as India nails 3-0 series victory
England suffered a heavy 142-run defeat against India in the third and final ODI played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. With this loss, India won the series 3-0. England struggled in both batting and bowling, showing the same problems seen throughout the tour.
Chasing 356, England collapsed to 214 all out in just 34.2 overs. Tom Banton, brought in to replace the injured Jacob Bethell in England’s Champions Trophy squad, managed to score 38 runs. However, poor shot selection haunted England’s batters once again. Ben Duckett, who appeared to be carrying a groin injury, was dismissed cheaply.
India’s bowlers made things difficult for England, with Axar Patel (2-22) and Harshit Rana (2-31) taking key wickets. England’s batting woes were clear again, and they had no answer to India’s strong bowling attack.
This defeat follows England’s 4-1 loss in the T20 series. Their next match is against Australia in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy on February 22. They have a lot of improvements to make before they can bounce back.
England’s batting problems continue
England’s batting struggles were evident throughout the series. In eight matches, they were bowled out six times, showing major problems in handling both spin and pace. Their inability to handle these issues showed weaknesses in the lineup.
Duckett and Phil Salt gave England a good start with a 60-run opening partnership. However, Duckett played a bad shot and was dismissed by Ardeep Singh. Salt soon followed, carelessly losing his wicket. Joe Root and Banton built another decent stand, taking England to 126-2, from there, things fell apart.
India’s spinners took control. Kuldeep Yadav got Banton out, while Axar Patel bowled Root. Jos Buttler and Harry Brook hit the ball onto their stumps while facing Harshit’s pace. England kept losing wickets quickly. From that point, there was no hope of a successful chase.
England’s struggles against spin are a major issue. Across this tour, they have lost 42 wickets to spinners at a very low average of 17.6 runs per dismissal. If they don’t improve, they will continue to lose in subcontinent conditions.
India’s batting sets the standard
India showed England how to bat with a patient yet calculated approach. Shubman Gill led with 112 from 102 balls. Shreyas Iyer (78) and Virat Kohli (52) also made crucial contributions.
India didn’t rush in the powerplay, reaching 52-1. But after that, they increased their scoring, punishing England’s weak bowling attack.
England’s bowlers had some good moments. Adil Rashid took 4-64, including a brilliant delivery to dismiss Hardik Pandya. Mark Wood also impressed well, taking 2-45. But England lacked variety and control in their bowling, which allowed India to reach 356 runs.
