India secured a commanding four-wicket victory over England in the second ODI at Cuttack’s Barabati Stadium on Sunday 9, February, sealing the three-match series with a game to spare. Captain Rohit Sharma silenced critics with a stellar 119-run knock, guiding India to chase down England’s total of 304 in just 44.3 overs.
Rohit Sharma’s Masterclass Sets the Tone
Under scrutiny for his form and with retirement speculation mounting, Rohit Sharma delivered a vintage performance, showcasing impeccable timing and stroke play. His 90-ball century, laced with seven sixes and 12 fours, was his 32nd in ODIs and his second-fastest in the format. This innings propelled him past Rahul Dravid (10,889 runs) to become one of the top-10 all-time ODI run-scorers with 10,987 runs, leaving him just 13 runs shy of the 11,000 mark.
Rohit set the momentum early, dominating England’s bowlers with powerful pull shots and elegant drives. He reached his fifty off just 30 balls and continued to play aggressively, launching an over-pitched delivery from Mark Wood over mid-on for six. His confident knock helped India cruise towards the target despite a few hiccups in the middle order.
India’s Chase: A Strong Start, Some Stumbles, and a Steady Finish
India began their chase assertively with openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill (60 off 52 balls, 9×4, 1×6) stitching together a 136-run partnership, their sixth century stand together. However, Virat Kohli (5) fell cheaply to Adil Rashid, who dismissed him for the fourth time in ODIs.
After Rohit’s dismissal at 206/3, India faced minor setbacks with Shreyas Iyer (44), KL Rahul (10), and Hardik Pandya (10) departing in quick succession. But with no significant run-rate pressure, Axar Patel (41) and Ravindra Jadeja (11)** guided India comfortably to victory with 33 balls to spare.
England’s Struggle to Capitalise on Strong Start
Earlier, England opted to bat on a batting-friendly track and posted 304 before being bowled out in 49.5 overs. The innings was built around Joe Root (69 off 72) and Ben Duckett (65 off 56), but England failed to capitalise on their solid foundation. At 200/3 in 35 overs, they looked set for a 330-plus total, but disciplined bowling by India halted their progress.
Jadeja (3/35) was instrumental in breaking key partnerships, dismissing Duckett and Root at crucial moments. England’s lower order faltered, with Liam Livingstone (41 off 32) and Adil Rashid (14 off 5) providing late resistance but falling short of setting an imposing target.
Key Bowling Contributions for India
- Ravindra Jadeja: 3/35 (10 overs)
- Varun Chakravarthy: 1/54 (10 overs) on ODI debut
- Mohammed Shami: 1/47 (9 overs)
- Harshit Rana: 1/62 (9 overs)
Despite some expensive spells, India’s bowlers delivered timely breakthroughs to keep England from running away with the game.
Looking Ahead: India Eye Clean Sweep
With this win, India take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, boosting their confidence ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The final ODI will be played in Ahmedabad on February 12, where England will look to avoid a whitewash.
(All images courtesy – BCCI X handle)
