{"id":252932,"date":"2026-07-14T19:01:30","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T19:01:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/14\/england-rue-selection-errors-after-patel-and-sundar-lead-india-to-comfortable-win\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T19:01:30","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T19:01:30","slug":"england-rue-selection-errors-after-patel-and-sundar-lead-india-to-comfortable-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/14\/england-rue-selection-errors-after-patel-and-sundar-lead-india-to-comfortable-win\/","title":{"rendered":"England rue selection errors after Patel and Sundar lead India to comfortable win"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A recent ascent to No 1 in the men\u2019s T20 international rankings saved one half of Brendon McCullum\u2019s job as England head coach and yet half of that half \u2013 one-day international cricket \u2013 continues to be a struggle.<\/p>\n

A six-wicket defeat by India in the series opener at Edgbaston was England\u2019s 13th ODI loss since McCullum took charge of the white-ball teams at the start of last year. Just six victories have come in this time \u2013 including three against lowly West Indies \u2013 and they have now slipped to eighth in the world overall.<\/p>\n

For India this was an upturn after that chastening 4-0 defeat in the T20s. Shubman Gill delivered a silken 80 to help chase down a target of 259 with 28 balls to spare, having earlier marshalled his bowlers superbly. After plundering 430 runs on this ground during last year\u2019s Test<\/a>, his Birmingham love affair continues.<\/p>\n

McCullum and Harry Brook misread a dry surface that was offering variable bounce for the quicks and resulted in knuckles being rapped throughout the match. Brook had five spin options in his XI but just three seamers, leaving him short on genuine wicket-taking threat and forcing him to use the bulk of Jofra Archer\u2019s overs early.<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/span>Joe Root made an unbeaten 76 and shared a 121-run partnership with Liam Dawson.<\/span> Photograph: Philip Brown\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

An extra seamer would probably have meant Liam Dawson missing out but then there would scarcely have been a contest without the all-rounder. Walking out at 107 for six in the 22nd over, Dawson\u2019s 68 from 83 balls, allied to an unbeaten 76 from Joe Root, at least gave Brook\u2019s bowlers something to work with.<\/p>\n

This turned into flickering hope of a full-blown turnaround when Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were kept to 11 and five respectively. But at the other end Gill was in princely form, tucking into Josh Tongue early on and taking a huge bite out of the target before cramp forced him to retire hurt.<\/p>\n

There was one further wobble. Shreyas Iyer was run out for 35 via a direct hit from Brook, while KL Rahul was bowled by Tongue for one to leave India 160 for four in the 28th over. This was fleeting, however, as unbeaten half-centuries from Axar Patel (57 from 52 balls) and Washington Sundar (52 from 63) sealed things.<\/p>\n

For England it was a tale of two collapses, the first of which \u2013 losing six for 46 from an encouraging 61 for no loss \u2013 was \u201cthe difference\u201d in the eyes of Brook. It was instigated by Gurnoor Brar, strapping 6ft 5in quick from Punjab, who shut down a tortured 14 from Jacob Bethell and had Ben Duckett caught in the deep for 43.<\/p>\n

Although the key strike came from a more familiar source, with Jasprit Bumrah brought back on to target the in-form Brook and finding the edge of his bat third ball. This was Bumrah\u2019s first ODI since the 2023 World Cup final, an absence that means he has dropped out of the rankings entirely. Not that his true standing is in doubt.<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/span>India\u2019s Gurnoor Brar celebrates after taking the wicket of England opener Jacob Bethell.<\/span> Photograph: Jay Patel\/SPP\/Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gill\u2019s smart use of his quicks continued, with Prasidh Krishna picking up two wickets as Jos Buttler (five), Sam Curran (nought) and Will Jacks (20) all fell. Had Shivam Dube held a return catch off Root on seven, the 121-run stand alongside Dawson would never have materialised \u2013 nor the full day\u2019s play that allowed maximum fundraising for the prostate cancer charity set up in memory of Bob Willis.<\/p>\n

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