By Karan Agrawal 
England will kick off their preparation for the Champions Trophy with three three-match ODI series against India starting from February 6 in Nagpur. As per the tradition the Jos Buttler-led side has announced their playing XI for the first ODI. England’s former test captain Joe Rot returns to the ODI setup for the first time since the 2023 ODI World Cup held in India. Root was a crucial part of the ODI team during England’s golden run in the format after the debacle of the 2015 World Cup where the Eoin Morgan-led side was knocked out from the tournament in the group stage itself after facing a shocking defeat against Bangladesh.
The Anchor
A below-average performance in the multination tournament prompted England to change their style of playing ODI cricket which saw them going for their shots from the first ball as a result scores of 300 plus were associated with the English team for the next four years. Amidst the attacking approach adopted by England Joe Root’s traditional stroke brought the much-needed stability to England’s batting lineup. Talking about Root’s inclusion in the playing XI for the first ODI against India England’s captain Jos Buttler said. “Root is one of the great players of the game, so in all the formats here he’s obviously been a vital part of ODI cricket for England for a long time.”
The Silver Lining
“He’s got loads of experience in ODI cricket, which would be great for some of the guys who haven’t played as much in our group. He’s been a vital player for England in all formats, and we feel like he’s got a crucial role for us to play in these games.” If we talk about the overall composition of the playing XI 10 out of the 11 players who are set to feature in the first ODI were a part of the team in the recently concluded five-match T20I series which England lost. The only silver lining in the 4-1 series loss is that the majority of the English players will be familiar with the conditions leading into the ODI series which might help them deliver a much improved performance before the Champions Trophy.
The Inexperience
One of the things England might be concerned about is inexperience, especially in the fast bowling department with the likes of Jacob Bethall, Brydon Carse, and Saqib Mahmood who will be playing their first ODI in India against an experienced batting lineup that comprises batters like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer. Along with it England also lacks a proper second spin bowling option who can support Adil Rashid from the other end. Other than an inexperienced bowling lineup England would hope that their batters put up a better show than what they did in the T20I series for England to have any chance of winning the ODI series.
England’s Playing XI For First ODI Vs India
Ben Duckett, Phil Salt, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (Captain and wicketkeeper), Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid and Saqib Mahmood.