India vs England: Combined best XI from the ODI series

Amidst all the talk of how insignificant the three-match series between India and England is or not, it turned out to be, without any surprise, a thriller. After a come-from-behind 66-run victory courtesy of an inspirational bowling effort in the series-opener, India undertook a heavy defeat as England romped to a comprehensive six-wicket win through an incredibly belligerent batting assault in the second encounter.

Distilled down to another series-decider, India clinched a nerve-sapping game by 7 runs to claim their title on the series by 2-1. There were plenty of performances that grabbed eyeballs and left a lasting impression in the minds of the fanatics.

Here is the best XI from India vs England ODI series:

1. Jonny Bairstow (England)

He had a forgettable Test series, he warmed himself up in the T20Is, and in the ODIs Jonny Bairstow was at his scintillating best. The robust Yorkshireman missed out on a deserving century in the first ODI, falling only six short, although, in the second ODI, he notched up a Man of the Match effort in his 112-ball 124, which proved extremely crucial in England’s attempt to chase 337. Though he fell cheaply in the decider, he ended up with most runs and sixes in the series: 219 runs at a massive average of 73 and 14 sixes.

2. Shikhar Dhawan (India)

Amidst a slew of concerns about his spot in the team, and with potent options like Shubman Gill waiting in the wings, Shikhar Dhawan entered into the series with tremendous pressure to perform. The 35-year-old did not disappoint as he racked up a typical Dhawan ODI knock in the first game, scoring 98 from just 106, featuring 11 fours and a couple of sixes. A cheap dismissal (only 4 runs in the second game) later, Dhawan played a fluent hand of 67 from 56 in the final fixture to finish the series with 169 runs at 56.33.

3. Virat Kohli (Captain, India)

Even as the wait for Virat Kohli’s 71st century did not end, the Indian skipper managed two performances of note in the series: 56 from 60 in the first ODI followed by 66 from 79. Foxed by Moeen Ali in the third, he was able to add only 7 to his team’s tally of 330. By his outrageously unreal standards, a three-match series without a century might go in the mediocre-performance box, although he averaged 43, getting 129 runs in all.

4. Ben Stokes (England)

The star all-rounder from England shone with the bat in the second ODI, where he missed out on what could have been one of the fastest centuries in 50-over cricket for an England batsman.

Having completed his half-century in 40 deliveries, Stokes launched a brutal assault against the Indian bowlers as he raced to 99 in merely 52 before edging Bhuvneshwar Kumar behind the wickets. His 175-run partnership with Bairstow guided England to an emphatic 6-wicket victory to bring the series to level. To add to his 135 runs from three games, Stokes bagged 4 wickets at an economy rate of 6.05.

5. Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper, India)

Rishabh Pant’s golden form in the Tests translated into the ODI series as well as he totaled 155 from 2 innings at a spectacular strike rate of 151.96. He was initially not a part of the eleven but an injury to Shreyas Iyer led to his inclusion and the flamboyant southpaw responded with two sensational, quick-fire knocks of 77 and 78 that changed the momentum towards India significantly. He ended up with 11 sixes in the series, only behind Bairstow’s 14.

6. Hardik Pandya (India)

Hardik Pandya has ably managed to be the answer to India’s finisher question and his hard-hitting prowess was once again on display during the series. After an uncharacteristic outing in the first ODI (1 from 9), Pandya fired into the England bowlers with authority, smacking an unbeaten cameo of 35 from 16 in the second ODI, before he slammed 64 from just 44 during a 99-run stand alongside Pant for the fifth wicket in the series-decider.

7. Moeen Ali (England)

In a series where India breached the 300-run mark thrice on three occasions, Moeen Ali bowled with consistency par excellence. Even though the spin all-rounder was unable to account for wickets – he got a solitary scalp in the series, that of Virat Kohli in the third ODI – it was his economy (5.70) that stood out. Ali’s series figures combined read 20-0-114-1.

8. Shardul Thakur (India)

Shardul Thakur has made a reputation of being a genuine wicket-taker no matter the format. It was his double-wicket over in the first ODI that turned the game on its head and dented the cruising England. After going wicket-less in the second ODI, Thakur came back strongly in the third, picking up a four-for, claiming timely wickets and breaking partnerships each time the team needed, apart from hitting a brisk 30 with the bat lower in the order. In all, he finished the series with ­7 wickets at 20.28­­ and an economy of 6.26­­­­ from three games.

9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India)

Despite being away from international cricket since December 2019, it was rarely felt in the way Bhuvneshwar Kumar made his return to the team. After a successful T20I series, Bhuvneshwar carried his form into the ODIs, claiming 6 wickets in three games at an unreal economy rate of 4.65. In the final ODI, Kumar claimed two crucial wickets – Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy – in the first two overs of his spell, which pushed England on the back foot right from the onset.

10. Prasidh Krishna (India)

India has found some extraordinary talent making way into different formats in the recent past, and pacer Prasidh Krishna seems to be a tantalizing prospect, to say the least. He claimed 4 for 54 on debut, the best figures by an Indian on ODI debut, which derailed England, who were galloping towards the target until the 15th over. He returned with figures of 2/58 in the second ODI before an off outing in the last fixture.

11. Adil Rashid (England)

It did not matter if it was the series that recorded a plethora of records in favor of the batsmen, Adil Rashid’s guile and variations boded well as they have since long for England, and alongside Moeen Ali, his spin partnership troubled the hosts to a good extent. He finished the series with 3 wickets under his belt at an economy rate of 7.31.