What went wrong for England? They have only managed to win one game so far on this tour, and much of it comes down to some flaws that have persisted within the side for a long time. For one, England’s bowling woes have haunted them. In the first two one day games, English bowlers could not get past dismissing six Indian batters. To be specific, the side’s lack of spin resources has also hurt them throughout this white-ball tour. India’s spinners took five and four wickets, respectively, in both games, while England’s limited spin options could not do much damage.
This is their last game before heading to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, yet plenty remains unanswered for Jos Buttler’s team.
India, on the other hand, have been pretty decent in their preparation for the tournament. They are on the verge of handing England a whitewash. However, they are not entirely stress-free at this point. Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the Champions Trophy, which will weaken the Indian bowling lineup regardless of who they call as a replacement.
Team Overview:
England put in a combined batting effort in the second ODI, with every player chipping in. Harry Brook, though he still could not capitalize on the start he got, showed some signs of improvement. England might not go with a lot of changes in this game. However, the regulars could get a breather before they head towards Pakistan. Some reports suggest that Tom Banton could be brought in for the final ODI. That would rejig the entire lineup, with Banton coming in at the first fall.
Without Bumrah, India will have a hard time doing their job the way they are used to. Harshit Rana, who has been called up as a replacement for Bumrah, has an immense role to play. India, too, are likely to go with the same lineup from the last game. Yashasvi Jaiswal is in the traveling reserves for the Champions Trophy, which means India will persist with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill at the top. Virat Kohli’s slump seems to have followed him into his favorite format as well, as he failed to reach double figures in both ODIs so far. Some runs coming off his bat will be a huge relief for Rohit Sharma as well as India.
Head-to-Head Record:
England and India have played 109 ODI matches against each other. Out of these games, India have won 60, while England got the better of them in 44. Five games ended without a result.
Weather and Pitch Report:
The final ODI will be played at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The last ODI played here was the ODI World Cup 2023 final, where Australia got the better of the hosts, India. The track is exceedingly batting-friendly, especially for teams batting second. For the bowling side, their best bet will be to make use of their quicks.
Where to Watch:
India: Hotstar
England: TNT Sports, Discovery+ App
Pakistan: Tapmad
Australia: Kayo Sports, Fox Cricket
South Africa: SuperSport Grandstand
