IND vs ENG 2nd ODI: Rohit Sharma’s explosive century leads India to series win against England

In a thrilling encounter at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, India secured a dominant four-wicket victory over England in the second ODI, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Powered by a fiery 119-run knock from captain Rohit Sharma and a solid 60-run partnership with Shubman Gill, India successfully chased down England's total, sealing the series ahead of the final ODI.

Rohit Sharma’s explosive comeback

Rohit Sharma, who had been struggling for runs recently, made a spectacular comeback with a blistering century. The Indian captain smashed 12 boundaries and 7 sixes in his 119-run innings, reaching his 32nd ODI century off just 76 balls. His aggressive approach set the tone for India’s chase, including a memorable six off the second over.

England’s fightback led by Ben Duckett and Joe Root

Earlier, England set a challenging target by posting 304 runs in 49.5 overs. Ben Duckett (65), Joe Root (69), and Jos Buttler (34) contributed vital runs for the visitors. However, India’s Ravindra Jadeja was the key disruptor, taking 3 wickets for 35 runs, which limited England’s total and prevented them from surpassing the 330-run mark.

India’s chase began on a high note, with Rohit Sharma dominating the bowlers. He reached his fifty in just 30 balls and, along with Shubman Gill, added 136 runs for the first wicket. Gill, who was dismissed for 60 runs after being yorked by Jamie Overton, was replaced by Shreyas Iyer (44), who formed a vital 70-run partnership with Rohit.

Rohit’s century and the path to victory

Rohit reached his century with a towering six off Adil Rashid. However, he was dismissed for 119 by Liam Livingstone. At this stage, India’s score was 220/3, and although they lost a few wickets, Axar Patel (41 not out) and Ravindra Jadeja (11 not out) guided India across the line to complete the victory.

England’s innings began strongly, reaching 75 runs in the first 10 overs. However, Varun Chakravarthy’s breakthrough and Jadeja’s double strike, removing Ben Duckett and Joe Root, put India in control. England’s batting collapsed as they lost three wickets to run outs in the final overs, finishing at 304 all out.

Game interrupted by floodlight failure

The match was briefly halted for 35 minutes due to a floodlight failure near the "Clock Tower" at the stadium, causing a temporary delay as one of the eight floodlights malfunctioned.

With this victory, India now turns its focus to a potential clean sweep in the third ODI, set to take place on February 12 in Ahmedabad.