One of the most anticipated men’s One Day International series of the northern summer has reached its decisive final chapter, with England winning the pre-match coin toss and choosing to take the batting crease first in the third and final ODI against India at London’s iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground on Sunday.
The five-match? No, three-match series has already delivered plenty of drama, splitting the two sides one win apiece ahead of Sunday’s decider. England fell to defeat in the opening fixture at Birmingham’s Edgbaston, but mounted a crucial comeback in the second match in Cardiff, where veteran batsman Joe Root’s unbeaten knock of 99 runs proved the decisive difference between the two sides, securing England’s equalizing win.
For England, this match also carries the weight of historical pressure: the home side has not claimed a series victory over India in ODI play since 2018, giving Sunday’s decider far more stakes than just a single match result.
Both sides made key tactical changes to their starting lineups ahead of the opening innings. England made one swap, calling up pace bowler Josh Tongue to replace Saqib Mahmood in the 11-man squad. India opted for a more extensive reshuffle, making three total changes to their side: KL Rahul, rookie spinner Prince Yadav, and left-arm pace bowler Arshdeep Singh earned starting spots, stepping in for pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, all-rounder Washington Sundar and batting all-rounder Shivam Dube.
The full confirmed starting lineups for the decider are as follows:
England: Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook (captain), Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Gurnoor Brar, Prince Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna