2025-02-05

India vs England ODI Series Tips: King Kohli could hit form for hosts

India are favourites to win this month's ICC Champions Trophy and their preparations for the tournament continue with a three-match ODI series against England.

Jos Buttler's tourists lost 4-1 to India in the T20 series and they will be taking on a far more experienced home side in the one-dayers.

England made a dismal defence of their World Cup title in India in 2023, losing six of their first seven matches which includes a 100-run defeat to the tournament hosts.

India won their first 10 matches before a shock defeat to Australia in the final and Rohit Sharma's men are 2/1 to claim a 3-0 series victory over England.

India vs England ODI Series Betting Tips

Virat Kohli top India runscorer in first ODI @ 11/4
Harry Brook to score over 29.5 runs in first ODI @ Evens

Team news

India have made wholesale changes to the squad who won the T20 series. Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer are likely to make up the top four and either KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant will keep wicket.

Mohammed Shami, the leading wicket-taker at the 2023 World Cup, is fit again after a long-term ankle injury but fellow fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is only available for the third ODI.

India leg-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has been added to the squad after being named Player of the Series in the T20s.

England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith is likely to miss the first two ODIs due to a calf injury so Jos Buttler or Phil Salt could take the gloves.

Joe Root, who was not part of the T20 squad, has arrived in India and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed will stay on for the one-dayers.

Tip 1 – Virat Kohli top India runscorer in first ODI @ 11/4

England struggled to contain some exciting young Indian batsmen in the T20 series but they are facing a couple of old masters in the ODIs.

Home captain Rohit Sharma top-scored with 87 in the last meeting between the teams at the 2023 World Cup, where Virat Kohli finished as the tournament's leading runscorer.

Kohli racked up 765 runs in 11 innings and, despite a tough Test series in Australia, he could lead India's charge in the first ODI.

His last three 50-over scores in Nagpur, all against Australia, were 115 not out, 39 and 116 and he averages 49.8 in home ODIs against England.

Rohit's aggression in the Powerplay overs means he is liable to be dismissed cheaply while opening partner Shubman Gill has been short of runs recently so Kohli is likely to anchor the innings on Thursday.

Tip 2 – Harry Brook to score over 29.5 runs in first ODI @ Evens

England welcome star batsman Joe Root back for the one-day series and his fellow Yorkshireman Harry Brook will also be eager to make an impact.

Brook had a difficult T20 series against India's spinners although he cut loose with 51 off 26 balls in the fourth game in Pune.

Like most of England's batsmen, he struggled at the World Cup in India although he got starts in all six appearances, scoring 25, 20, 66, 17, 11 and 30.

However, he had a wonderful ODI series against world champions Australia last September, deputising as captain for the injured Buttler.

Brook smashed 110 not out, 87 and 72 in the last three games against the Aussies and we’re backing him to reach 30 in Nagpur – something he has achieved in seven of his last nine ODIs.