England Choose To Bat First In 3rd ODI Against India At Narendra Modi Stadium

February 12, 2025: Jos Buttler won the coin toss and opted to bat first as India and England faced off in the third and final ODI at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

India had already won the first two ODIs, securing the series 2-0, and this match would serve as a chance for India to experiment with their lineup before the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which begins on February 20 in Dubai.

England’s Playing XI:

• Philip Salt (w), Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Tom Banton, Gus Atkinson, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Saqib Mahmood.

India’s Playing XI:

• Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (w), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh.

During the toss, England captain Jos Buttler explained his decision to bowl first, citing the possibility of dew later in the game and a desire to experience bowling first before the Champions Trophy. He also mentioned that they wanted to build on good positions and emphasized the need for partnerships to make match-winning contributions. Buttler confirmed one change in the lineup, with Tom Banton replacing Jamie Overton.

Rohit Sharma, India’s captain, expressed his preference for batting first, noting that they had already chased in the previous matches and wanted to set a total this time. He spoke of the importance of winning for the team, highlighting the performance of young debutants and the team’s commitment to improving in all aspects, including fielding.

Rohit also confirmed a few changes to the squad, with Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami being rested, and Varun Chakravarthy not featuring due to a calf issue. Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, and Arshdeep Singh were brought back into the side.

The match was set to offer both teams a chance to fine-tune their preparations before the Champions Trophy.