Washington Sundar and Axar Patel put on a match-winning stand of 102 runs in first ODI vs England at Edgbaston on Tuesday.
Published: July 15, 2026, 11:36 AM IST
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India’s Axar Patel en route scoring a fifty in the first ODI vs England at Edgbaston. (Photo: IANS)
IND vs ENG 2026 1st ODI: Team India posted their first win on the tour of England after a couple of weeks of disappointment as they went 1-0 up in the three-match ODI series against the hosts with a six-wicket win in the first game at Edgbaston on Tuesday. The stars of the win were skipper Shubman Gill along with all-rounders Washington Sundar and Axar Patel.
After Gill had to retire hurt with injury and cramps on 80 off 75 balls, Sundar and Axar put on a match-winning 5th wicket partnership of 102 runs as both batters notched up unbeaten fifties. Sundar scored 52 off 63 balls with 4 fours and one six while Axar remained not out 57 off 52 balls with 5 fours and one six.
Axar became only the third Indian cricketer ever to claim a four-wicket haul and also score a half-century in ODI cricket. The Delhi Capitals skipper had claimed 4/62 with the ball to bundle out Harry Brook’s side for 258 in 47.5 overs.
Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was the first to achieve this feat when he scored 141 and claimed 4/38 against Australia in Dhaka in 1998 while Hardik Pandya had notched up 71 and claimed 4/24 against England in Manchester in 2022.
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A brilliant all-round performance from #AxarPatel powered India to a winning start in the ODI series. #ENGvIND 2nd ODI THU, 16th JULY, 4:30 PM on JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/vsi2CAv9Hk
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 15, 2026
“It was very important for me to deliver this kind of performance. As for my mindset, I needed to keep at it. I had to stay focused rather than thinking it would just happen on its own. I had to have self-belief and execute my plans. I feel like I was trying to hit the ball too hard during the T20Is. When you go in to bat in the death overs, you don’t have any other option but to go for big shots, but I was losing my shape a little. So, when I went in to bat in this game, obviously after we got a great start, I just wanted to build a partnership,” Axar Patel told JioStar’s ‘Match Centre’ after the first ODI.
“I wasn’t trying to hit the ball too hard because I knew I had time and could afford to take a few balls as well. I was focusing on my timing. On this kind of wicket, it is very important to trust the bounce. Once you start reading it well, I think you can score runs,” Axar added.
It was also the second time since 2016 when Team India managed to chase down a 250-plus target in ODI cricket when neither Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli scored a half-century. The last time it happened was against England at Old Trafford in 2022, when Indian chased down 260 with Rohit Sharma and Kohli scoring 17 each.
Asked about the return of senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah into the playing 11, Axar said, “Obviously, we have been playing alongside each other for a long time. Over time, you form a strong camaraderie, and that brings a sense of confidence because we have won a lot of matches together, and we’ve lost a few as well. But that confidence is there because everyone knows their roles and what they need to do. There is unity, the team gels well together, and you can see that on the field too, with the banter and fun everyone was having. It creates a very relaxed atmosphere.”
Team India will take on England in the second game of the three-match series at Sophie Gardens in Cardiff on Thursday.
