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Root steers England in Cardiff
Joe Root made an unbeaten 99 as England beat India by four wickets in the second ODI at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Thursday to level the three-match series 1-1.
England chased 234 after India were bowled out for 233 in 44 overs, and Root was left stranded on 99 not out as the hosts reached the target with 20 balls to spare.
The match was shaped by early India breakthroughs, with Jasprit Bumrah dismissing Ben Duckett with the first ball and Prasidh Krishna removing Jacob Bethell soon after.
India’s innings ended with Bumrah unbeaten on 20, while Archer finished with 3 for 47 and Atkinson returned 3 for 50 as England’s seamers set up the chase.
England’s chase then hinged on Root’s accumulation, with nine fours in his 133-ball knock and Gus Atkinson sealing the result with a hooked six off Bumrah in the 45th over.
Gill calls loss disappointing
After the defeat, Shubman Gill said India’s four-wicket loss was "quite disappointing," adding that they had aimed for 300-310 but lost too many wickets in the middle overs.
Gill also praised Root, saying, "He is a master at chasing such targets and is difficult to dismiss when the required run rate remains manageable," as England completed the chase with almost six overs remaining.
England captain Harry Brook said Root’s innings showed how to rotate strike, describing him as "phenomenal" and saying, "You can learn so much off him, in the changing room as well."
The BBC reported Root framed the win as a lesson in adapting, saying England players are having to "learn on the job" in 50-over cricket because of a lack of exposure to the format.
Root’s comments came as England reached their target of 234 in the 45th over, with the BBC describing his knock as based on strike rotation, playing the ball late, and punishing anything loose.
Decider at Lord’s looms
With the series level at 1-1, the decider is scheduled at Lord’s in London this Sunday, after England levelled the contest in Cardiff.
Root said England’s challenge is that anyone coming into the team does not have "the wealth of experience and understanding of 50-over cricket" because they are not exposed to it any more.
The BBC added that England’s inconsistency in ODIs has left them needing to stay in the top nine for automatic qualification for the next World Cup in 2027, after their 14th defeat in 20 matches.
Root also said he was hopeful the team would be judged on its recent past, pointing to how they adapted after getting things wrong earlier in the year against Sri Lanka and then winning that series.
As England head to Lord’s, Root said, "We'll go to Lord's [for the series decider against India on Sunday] with everything to play for, a high-pressure game ahead of a World Cup," tying the Cardiff win directly to what comes next.
