India demonstrated their dominance over England once again, clinching the third ODI match by 142 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on February 12, 2025. This victory marked the team's sweeping finish to the series, concluding with a 3-0 record against England. After winning the toss, England opted to bowl first, hoping the pitch conditions would favor their strategy.
The decision to field initially seemed promising as England's bowlers made early headway by dismissing Indian captain Rohit Sharma for just one run. Rohit was caught behind off Mark Wood’s delivery, prolonging his wait for 11,000 ODI runs. With the score at 6 for 1, India’s batting needed stabilizing.
Entering the fray, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli built a formidable partnership, slowly cementing India's innings with remarkable resilience. Gill played aggressively, scoring boundaries with ease, whereas Kohli showed poise, successfully engaging with the spin bowlers.
Opting to remain cautious, India reached 52 runs at the end of the first ten overs, with Gill at 28 not out and Kohli at 17 not out. The innings solidified as Kohli reached his 73rd ODI fifty shortly after, with Gill following suit—both achieving their fifties within 51 balls, firmly setting the stage for a hefty total.
After amassing 116 runs together, calamity struck when Adil Rashid trapped Kohli, who scored 52 off 55 balls. England then managed quick breakthroughs with Rashid's bowling, ending significant partnerships at pivotal moments. Shubman Gill, leading the charge, scored 112 off 102 balls, including 14 fours and 3 sixes, before falling to Rashid, who was England's standout bowler, ending with figures of 4 for 64.
Following Gill's departure, Shreyas Iyer kept the momentum alive, contributing 78 runs off 64 balls, as India endeavored for the 350-run mark, hitting 356 runs overall. Their innings was marred by wicket losses, but Iyer's explosive batting saw India close at 356 runs, leaving England with 357 to chase for final bragging rights.
Chasing such an imposing total was always going to be challenging for England, who initially looked promising when openers Phil Salt and Ben Duckett launched aggressively. The innings started with 60 runs on the board within just 6 overs. But this fledgling success was soon marred by Arshdeep Singh, who effectively dismantled England’s top order, claiming 3 wickets, including the key dismissals of Duckett and the dangerous Jos Buttler.
Despite intermittent fightbacks, England’s batting line-up crumbled under pressure, and they collapsed from 175 for 5 to 214 all out, with Gus Atkinson providing some resistance with 38 runs off 19 balls. Yet, India’s bowlers, spearheaded by Harshit Rana's effective pace and Kuldeep Yadav's spin, restricted England’s innings, culminating with Axar Patel wrapping up proceedings by bowling out Atkinson.
The turn of events showcased not just India’s tactical prowess and batting depth but also highlighted the gaping holes within England's batting ranks, raising concerns about their readiness for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Shubman Gill, with his century, and Shreyas Iyer’s pivotal contributions were instrumental for India, maintaining the dominance they showcased throughout the series. After securing this match, the Indian camp celebrated, reveling back-to-back triumphs against the visiting English side, amplifying their confidence as they head toward their next challenge.
Worryingly for England, not only did they finish the series with just one win, but they will need to revamp their strategies heading forward, especially as the Champions Trophy looms. This series was not just about the results but rather how the younger players like Gill stepped up to reveal their talents on the international stage, which is always promising for Indian cricket moving forward. The final result reaffirmed India’s strength across formats, keeping the home team riding high on confidence.