Mumbai: India concluded their preparations for the 2025 Champions Trophy in an impressive manner, triumphing over England by a commanding 142 runs in the final ODI of the three-match series, thereby securing a comprehensive 3-0 series victory. Hopes were high for Rohit Sharma to maintain his exceptional form with the bat, especially following his century in the second match.
However, he unfortunately fell early, being dismissed for just a single run. Despite this setback, the Indian captain etched his name in history by achieving a remarkable accomplishment that even former leaders MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli were unable to attain.
Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, this marked the fourth series in which India has achieved a whitewash of 3-0 against England on home soil. He now holds the record for the most ODI whitewashes as an Indian captain, surpassing the three series wins previously shared by Dhoni and Kohli. Notably, Rohit also became the first Indian captain to orchestrate a whitewash against four distinct opponents in ODIs.
Turning to the match itself, England won the toss and opted to field first. India faced an immediate challenge when Mark Wood dismissed Rohit Sharma for just one run. Nevertheless, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli stabilised the innings from that point onwards.
Kohli contributed 52 runs before his dismissal, while Gill propelled the innings forward alongside Shreyas Iyer. The young opener delivered a splendid performance, scoring a noteworthy century with 112 runs, while Iyer added a valuable 74 runs, allowing India to post a formidable total of 356 all out in their allotted 50 overs.
England’s batsmen were unable to find their rhythm and struggled throughout the chase. Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Axar Patel, and Hardik Pandya each claimed two wickets, leading to the visitors being bowled out for a mere 214 runs. As a result, India emerged victorious by 142 runs.