NAGPUR: Pretty early in the day, under the scorching afternoon sun at Jamtha, India's young guns lit the spark that would soon turn into a fire. England had strutted in with intent, their openers tearing into the Indian attack. At 75 for no loss in the ninth over, they were in cruise mode, dictating the tempo, setting the stage for a formidable total. But in the space of two overs, the script was torn apart, and the game swung violently in India's favour. Two debutants - fresh, fearless, and hungry - struck together, setting the tone for what was to come all day. India smothered England by four wickets to start their
Champions Trophy preparations on a high at VCA, Jamtha, on Thursday.
A moment of hesitation for England put the first crack in their smooth start. Opener Phil Salt, electric till then, was caught in a moment of indecision, stranded mid-pitch as KL Rahul gleefully completed the run-out. Suddenly, Ben Duckett looked rattled, his mind clouded by his partner's departure. Rohit Sharma smelled blood. He tossed the ball to lanky Rana, and in just four deliveries, the game turned on its head.
Rana banged it in short, and Duckett, still shaken, took the bait. A mistimed pull, the ball hung in the air, spiraling towards no man's land. But Yashasvi Jaiswal, stationed at mid-wicket, was willing. He turned, sprinted back with relentless determination, and then - defying gravity and England's hopes - flung himself into a full-stretch dive, plucking the ball inches above the turf. The catch sent a jolt of energy through the Indian camp. England, once smooth and assured, were now staggering. From 75 for none, they were 77 for 3 in a blink.
From there, India never let go. What had looked like a batting paradise, promising a 300-plus spectacle, turned into a graveyard for England's hopes. The Indian attack, led by Ravindra Jadeja's masterful spell, ensured England's power-hitters never found their rhythm. He trapped Joe Root in the 19th over when the comeback man was rebuilding the innings with skipper Jos Buttler. The boundaries dried up soon - For 45 deliveries, they couldn't muster a single one with Indian spinners ruling the middle part of the innings. The visitors were eventually bundled out for a modest 248 - far below what they had initially threatened. While Rana and Jadeja picked three wickets apiece, Mohd Shami, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav got one each.
Later, India, calm and composed, swatted away England hopes of a collapse as they chased down the target with 68 balls to spare. Even as both openers fell cheaply, there was never a stutter. Shubman Gill, all elegance and poise, and Shreyas Iyer, brimming with intent, stitched together a 94-run partnership that extinguished England's last hopes.
Iyer, aggressive yet precise, used the crease masterfully, pushing back to counter pace and driving with supreme confidence. His 36-ball 59 - laced with nine crisp boundaries and two towering sixes - ensured the chase never veered off track.
Gill, meanwhile, was in his own sublime world. His wrists worked beautifully, carving boundaries at will, his short-arm pulls and delicate jabs were a delight. With 14 boundaries in his 96-ball 87, he dictated terms, guiding India ever closer to a win.
Then there was Axar, sent ahead of KL Rahul in a tactical move, proving why the management had backed him. He was composed, assured, and fluent, stroking his way to a well-crafted half-century. With India already in cruise control, his knock was the finishing touch on an already near-perfect performance. Though there were a few hiccups late in the innings, after the early onslaught of Iyer and Gill, a win was a mere formality for India.
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