ENG vs IND 1st ODI: Top 3 players to watch out for

England and India meet for the first of three One-Day Internationals at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Tuesday, July 14. India were hammered 4-0 in the five-match T20I series, being completely outplayed by the Three Lions in all facets. Shreyas Iyer and Co. were unable to adapt to conditions in the country.

The tourists head into the ODI series with the hope of redeeming themselves and returning with a morale-boosting win. England are currently ranked eighth in the ICC rankings and will need results to ensure they do not slip further and risk their chance of automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup. The two teams come into the series with star-studded squads, with multiple players capable of making a difference.

Gurnoor Brar was a surprise inclusion in the side for the ODI series against Afghanistan, but was one of the star performers in the series. The tall seamer from Punjab made life difficult for the Afghan batters, bowling at high pace and putting his hit-the-deck abilities on full display. Brar was the leading wicket-taker in the series with seven scalps, even bowling a brilliant spell of 3 for 27 in the first game, which was his debut.

England's batting core of Jacob Bethell, Joe Root and Harry Brook showed signs of struggle against the ball coming in in the recently concluded Test series against New Zealand. Brar's natural inward angle on release and the steep bounce he can generate off the surface could pose a major threat to the English batters, taking India closer to clinching the series.