1st ODI: England Opt to Bat Against India at Edgbaston as Jos Buttler Reaches 200-Match Milestone

Birmingham, July 2026 : England captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to bat first against India in the opening One-Day International of the three-match series at Edgbaston on Tuesday, as the hosts celebrated two major individual milestones before the start of the contest.

The match marked a landmark occasion for wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler, who became only the second England cricketer after former captain Eoin Morgan (225 ODIs) to feature in 200 One-Day Internationals. Fast bowler Josh Tongue made his ODI debut for England, while left-arm spinner Liam Dawson reached the milestone of 50 international appearances across all formats.

Explaining his decision at the toss, Brook said the pitch looked ideal for batting in the early stages before gradually offering assistance to the spinners later in the match. He added that England intended to carry the positive and aggressive approach they displayed during the T20I series into the ODI format.

Brook said the team would continue to assess conditions quickly, maintain clear communication and adapt to the demands of the game as it progressed. He also expressed confidence in the squad, pointing out that most of the players featured in both white-ball formats, providing continuity and stability.

Admitting that England’s ODI performances had lacked consistency in recent years, Brook said the team was determined to begin a new chapter and believed it possessed the talent to produce better results. He confirmed that England had opted for a balanced bowling attack comprising three pace bowlers and two specialist spinners.

India captain Shubman Gill admitted he would have preferred to bowl first, saying the conditions appeared more suited to seam bowling, similar to pitches often seen in South Africa rather than in India.

Gill said the ODI series would provide valuable opportunities for players with relatively limited experience in the 50-over format while also benefiting from the return of several senior stars. He welcomed the presence of experienced campaigners Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah, saying their experience would strengthen the side.

Reflecting on his previous performances in England, Gill said he had fond memories of touring the country during the Test series and hoped to continue that form in the ODI leg as well.

India fielded a bowling attack featuring four seamers, including all-rounder Shivam Dube, along with spin duo Axar Patel and Washington Sundar.

Playing XIs:

India: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), Washington Sundar, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Gurnoor Brar, Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna.

England: Jacob Bethell, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (captain), Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson, Josh Tongue and Adil Rashid.

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