Key India players hit form ahead of the Champions Trophy

India v England, Scorecard

India wrapped up a commanding 2-0 ODI series win over England, showcasing their strengths just in time ahead of the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025.

Skipper Rohit Sharma, who came into the game on the back of a lean patch, returned to form with a commanding innings of 119, whereas Ravindra Jadeja showed mastery with the ball during his three-wicket haul.

Shubman Gill (60) continued to be in a good touch, while Shreyas Iyer (44) and Axar Patel (41*) also played key roles during India's chase.

The very best of Rohit Sharma from the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup

Rohit smashed seven sixes and 12 fours during his 90-ball stay and drew praise from Jadeja at the completion of the match.

"He's such a big player that he knows how to play his innings. It's just a matter of one innings. As you saw, it didn't feel like he hadn't scored runs in his previous innings. It was so smooth and confident. All the shots were normal and smooth. So, sometimes it's just a matter of one or two innings," Jadeja said after the victory.

"It's a good thing that before the Champions Trophy, before an important tournament, 100 is a big innings. So, I think it's good for the team. And obviously, he knows what his game is. There's nothing to think about or discuss. If any batter scores a hundred before such a tournament, it is good for the player and the team. If the top-order score runs, it sets up a good platform for the rest of the batters."

England won the toss in Cuttack, electing to bat first.

Joe Root and Ben Duckett were the pick of the batters with knocks of 69 (72) and 65 (56) as they set up the innings for England’s middle-order as Jos Buttler 34 (35) and Liam Livingstone 41 (32) featured in cameos, as the tourists put up a target of 305 for India to chase down.

Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling was a standout feature of India’s bowling. The all-rounder was instrumental with the ball, providing the crucial breakthroughs of Ben Duckett and Joe Root. He finished the innings with figures of 3/35 off his 10 overs.

India’s response meanwhile saw a blistering start with both openers putting their foot on the pedal. India lost Shubman Gill for a strong 60 (52) at 136-1 after 16.4 overs. The returning Virat Kohli followed Gill soon after that, caught by Phil Salt off an Adil Rashid delivery for 5 (8).

Despite this wobble, Rohit Sharma led from the front as he scored his 32nd century under the lights with a dominant performance. This was his first century since the 2023 World Cup, where he scored a magnificent 131 against Afghanistan. His 119 from 90 today contained 12 fours and seven sixes.

With his timing and shot-making back in full flow, the India skipper has found much-needed form ahead of the Champions Trophy.

During his knock, Rohit became the second-highest run-scoring opener for India across formats, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar and slotting beneath Virender Sehwag.

After losing Rohit in the 30th over, India lost wickets in quick succession, but a composed Axar Patel got them home in the 45th over as they sealed the series in Cuttack.

The final ODI of the series will be played in Ahmedabad on 12 February.