Joe Root returns as England announce playing XI for 1st ODI

The 1st IND vs ENG ODI will be played on Thursday in Nagpur.

On the eve of the first ODI against India in Nagpur, England have announced their playing XI, and it resembles a similar look to the ones they played during the T20I series, with the exception of Joe Root returning to the ODI XI after more than a year.

After losing the five-match T20I series by 4-1, Jos Buttler’s team would be looking to bounce back in the upcoming three-ODI series, which will begin on Thursday in Nagpur. The next two games will be played in Cuttack and Ahmedabad.

This is an important series for both India and England as it will help them fine-tune their preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, starting on February 19.

Root’s last ODI outing was during the World Cup 2023, where England failed to reach the semi-finals. He will bolster the middle-order that looked clueless at times against India’s spinners during the T20I series.

Mark Wood has been rested from the first ODI and Saqib Mahmood, who bowled well in the 4th T20I with a three-wicket maiden, will feature in Nagpur.

England playing XI for 1st ODI vs India:

Phil Salt (wk), Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood

Ahead of the first ODI, captain Buttler has responded to question regarding England’s approach, whether their attacking mindset could border on being reckless.

“It’s always about execution, really. Whether you want to be aggressive, conservative, or measured, you’ve still got to go out there, execute it, and play it well,” Buttler said.

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