India secured a 2-0 series victory against England with a commanding four-wicket win in the second ODI at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, on February 9, 2025. Captain Rohit Sharma’s blistering century guided India to a comfortable chase of 305 runs, ensuring the hosts wrapped up the series with one game to spare.
Rohit Sharma’s Masterclass Leads the Chase
Skipper Rohit Sharma played a match-winning knock of 119 off just 90 balls, leading India’s successful chase. His innings included 12 fours and 7 sixes, with an aggressive approach that kept England on the back foot.
Rohit reached his fifty in just 30 balls and carried the momentum forward.
His 136-run partnership with Shubman Gill (60) laid the foundation for India’s chase.
Neath a short interruption with the lights going out, Rohit did not lose any plot and ensured that the required rate never came to haunt them.
Middle Order Seals the Deal
India’s middle-order had also clicked to seal the deal:
A: Shubman Gill gave the much-needed stability at the top, scoring 60 off 55 balls
B: Shreyas Iyer was handy, rotating the strike, scoring 44 off 38 balls.
Axar Patel (41 off 34 balls)* ensured India crossed the line without any late drama.
India successfully chased 305 runs in just 44.3 overs, sealing the match with more than five overs to spare.
Jadeja and Chakravarthy Shine with the Ball
Earlier in the match, England posted 304/8 in their 50 overs, with notable contributions from:
Joe Root (69 off 82 balls) anchoring the innings.
Late flourish courtesy Ben Duckett (65 off 48 balls).
But Indian bowlers kept the game under control and let England not take it away.
Ravindra Jadeja was the standout bowler from the lot who took 3/35 in 10 overs with tight lines.
Varun Chakravarthy showed promise on debut, taking 1/54 in 10 overs and even broke the opening 81-run partnership between the English batsmen.
Floodlight Failure Stalls Play End
In the seventh over of India’s chase, one of the floodlight towers at Barabati Stadium switched off, causing a 40-minute delay. Players had to leave the field while officials worked to fix a generator issue.
Despite the interruption, India’s momentum remained intact once play resumed.
Kohli Returns but Fails to Fire
Senior batter Virat Kohli returned to the playing XI after missing the first ODI due to a knee issue. However, he had an off day with the bat, scoring just 12 runs before getting dismissed cheaply.
With this victory, India takes an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. The final game in Ahmedabad will be a dead rubber, but India may experiment with new players to test their bench strength.
This match marked Rohit Sharma’s return to peak form, giving India a boost ahead of future assignments. Meanwhile, England will look to salvage some pride in the final ODI.
