England vs India 1st ODI Predictions - Kohli to drag India back to winning ways
India and England are set for an exciting ODI series in Birmingham, with India hoping to break their six-match losing streak. Virat Kohli’s return is a big boost for the visitors, while England’s Joe Root and Harry Brook are in excellent form. Despite India’s disappointing UK tour, their strong recent ODI record against England and the return of Jasprit Bumrah make them favourites at 1.96 odds. Key players to watch are Kohli, Root, Archer, and Dube. Both teams will look to set the tone for future white-ball competitions.
- England come into the match on the big of three big wins over India.
- India beat Afghanistan 3-0 in their last ODI series mid-June.
- With no rain and warm weather we should be in for a belter of a track.
Virat Kohli could be key to reigniting India's form (Getty Images).
England vs India Predictions
India are on a six-match losing streak in all competitions and don’t look like they’re about to turn the corner soon, but the return of Virat Kohli is likely to breathe new life into the tourists. England have beaten India in four straight whiteball matches and will come into the match full of confidence.
- England’s Joe Root has scored 61, 76 & 111* in his last 3 ODI knocks.
- England’s Harry Brook has scores of 79* & 95* in his last 2 innings.
- England’s Jofra Archer has figures of 3/29, 2/20 & 1/41 in 3 matches.
- India’s Virat Kohli has scored 105*, 58, 43 & 75* in his last 5 knocks.
- India’s Rohit Sharma has scores of 48 & 79 in his last 2 innings.
- India’s Shivam Dube took 2/22 in the 5th T20I against England.
Head-to-Head
India have won their last five ODIs against England, the last of which was in February 2025.
England Form
England come into the ODI opener after completing a memorable 4-0 sweep in the T20I series. They looked strong in home conditions and will now shift focus to the longer white-ball format, starting with the first ODI in Birmingham. However, they will be aware of their recent struggles in ODIs, even though they did beat Sri Lanka in their previous series.
England were beaten 3-0 by India in their last ODI meeting and also lost a home series to them in 2022. They have won only two of their last 10 ODIs against India, so the challenge remains significant despite home advantage. With the 2027 Cricket World Cup in mind, this series is also an important step in rebuilding after a disappointing run in ODI ICC events since their 2019 World Cup triumph.
Joe Root will be central to England’s hopes after scoring two fifties and a century in the Sri Lanka series. Harry Brook is also in strong form, having smashed 136 off 66 balls in his last ODI against Sri Lanka, while Adil Rashid could play an important role with his spin.
India Form
India enter the ODI series after a difficult UK tour, having failed to win a match and losing T20I series to both Ireland and England. The change in format gives Shubman Gill’s side a chance to reset as they look to end their losing run in Birmingham.
India recently beat Afghanistan in an ODI series, although they have also lost series to Australia and New Zealand in this cycle. The return of Virat Kohli is a major boost, especially after his strong home-season form. India have won their last three ODI series against England, including an away win in 2022, and have taken eight of the last 10 meetings between the sides. Jasprit Bumrah’s return should also strengthen the bowling attack.
Kohli is the key player to watch. He has been India’s leading ODI run-scorer over the last year and needs just nine more runs to reach 2 000 ODI runs against England. He also has two centuries and five fifties in England. Gill has looked solid in this format, making 154 in his last ODI, while Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav add major value with the ball.
Team news
The major news is the return of Virat Kohli to the Indian side, needing just nine runs to reach 2 000 ODI runs against England, including two tons and five fifties on English soil.
England (possible XI): Tom Banton, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (c), Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson,
India (possible XI): Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna.
Verdict
India are tipped to win at odds of 1.96, with Joe Root, Jofra Archer, Virat Kohli and Shivam Dube backed to star with bat and ball.
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