India sealed the three-match ODI series against England with a commanding four-wicket victory in the second game at Cuttack, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead. Rohit Sharma led from the front with a spectacular century, guiding his team to chase down a 305-run target in just 44.3 overs.
England, having opted to bat first after winning the toss, posted a total of 304 runs in 49.5 overs. Ben Duckett and Joe Root provided crucial contributions with half-centuries, while Ravindra Jadeja emerged as India’s standout bowler, claiming three wickets. Duckett and Phil Salt set a strong foundation with an 81-run opening stand before debutant Varun Chakravarthy dismissed Salt for 26.
Duckett followed soon after, falling to Jadeja for a well-made 65. England struggled to build sustained partnerships as Harshit Rana removed Harry Brook for 31, while Hardik Pandya got rid of captain Jos Buttler for 34. Root top-scored with 69 before Jadeja dismissed him and later sent Jamie Overton back for just 6. Mohammed Shami chipped in with the wicket of Gus Atkinson, while Adil Rashid, Liam Livingstone, and Mark Wood fell to run-outs, contributing 14, 41, and 0 runs, respectively.
India’s chase started in aggressive fashion, with Rohit and Shubman Gill putting up a 48-run stand within the first six overs. The game was briefly halted due to floodlight issues, but once play resumed, the openers continued their dominance. Both reached their fifties and built a strong 136-run partnership before Overton dismissed Gill for 60 off 52 balls. Virat Kohli departed soon after for just 5, falling to Rashid.
Despite wickets falling at the other end, Rohit Sharma remained solid, reaching his 32nd ODI century in style with a six over mid-off. His brilliant knock of 119 off 90 balls, featuring 12 boundaries and seven sixes, ended when Livingstone got his wicket. Shreyas Iyer added 44 runs before being run out by Buttler, while KL Rahul and Pandya contributed 10 runs each before departing. However, Axar Patel (41*) and Jadeja (11*) held their nerve to complete the chase, ensuring India’s series victory.
