Road to South Africa in action: Washington Sundar, Axar Patel deliver with bat and ball at Edgbaston | Cricket News

Axar Patel (left) and Washington Sundar added an unbeaten 102 runs for the fifth wicket in the first ODI against England. (BCCI | X)

TimesofIndia.com in Birmingham: All-rounders Axar Patel and Washington Sundar successfully driven Team India to a chase of 259 runs in the first ODI against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Tuesday. The six-wicket win ended India’s three-week winless streak in the UK, where they suffered a 0-2 defeat to Ireland and a 0-4 slump against England in the T20I series. The win also extended India’s unbeaten run against England in ODIs to six consecutive wins while ending England’s seven-game winning streak at Edgbaston.The 102-run stand between Axar and Washington for the fifth wicket, under the blazing sun, lifted the proverbial clouds that had briefly converged on India’s march to victory. In a matter of 20 minutes, India lost skipper Shubman Gill to cramps, Shreyas Iyer to a run-out, and KL Rahul, who dragged a wide delivery on his stumps. India went from 149/2 to 160/4 in an instant, with the trio back in the hut. England, which had been pegged back by the 101-run partnership between Gill (80 off 75 balls) and Iyer (35 off 53 balls), were suddenly roaring in celebration, as were the 20,744 present. ‘Wonderwall’, ‘It’s Coming Home’ and ‘Hey Jude’ echo through the floor as FIFA World Cup fever, fueled by the run of Harry Kane & Co. in the semi-final, it mixed with the rise of England at Edgbaston.With 99 runs still needed, the challenge was less about the run rate required in 4.5 overs and more about managing the sudden pressure after the loss of three quick wickets. Both Axar and Washington had just arrived at the crease and faced a daunting task. Instead of getting bogged down, the southpaws, the first left-handers in India’s XI after the right-handed quartet, faced the situation with aplomb.

India’s Axar Patel and Washington Sundar celebrate their partnership during the 1st ODI against England at the Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham on Tuesday. (ANI photo)

The duo faced Will Jacks and Sam Curran, with the four overs conceding just nine runs. The reintroduction of Adil Rashid allowed Washington to free his arms with a boundary and another run over. The next two overs, as Curran and Jacks continued, they conceded 18 runs, with the duo’s confidence evidently growing.Axar was the main man at this stage. A slog sweep off Jacks and back-to-back boundaries off Jofra Archer meant the runs started to flow comfortably. On the other side, Washington enjoyed watching his teammate.

“The way they batted was magical and it was a pleasure for me to watch from the other end,” he said in the post-match press conference.The next four overs reflected the same level approach. As the fifty-run partnership came and went, the duo collected nine runs in three overs while seeing off Archer’s full quota of 10 overs. The next two overs produced another 19 runs, allowing Axar and Washington to slow things down again on three hits.After navigating the chase to perfection, the duo grew in confidence and momentum, fitting for Washington’s strike in the 45th over that sealed the match. A floated delivery from Adil Rashid was too full and in the slot for the 26-year-old, who sent it over the long-on boundary for a winning six.

Axar Patel (left) acknowledges the crowd’s welcome after reaching his fifty in the first ODI against England at Edgbaston (BCCI | X)

“We thought we’ve got a couple of wickets now, we’ve got to build a partnership now. And after four, five overs, we’ll think about what we’re going to do because of the way we had the start, I think we’re ahead of the game. So, we just have to build the partnership and finish the game,” explained Player of the Match Axar Patel.Skipper Gill, whose availability for the Cardiff ODI in two days remains uncertain, was pleased to see India’s batting depth tested and come through successfully.

When you see your middle order and lower middle order score runs like that and finish the job for the team, you have a lot of confidence as a captain and as a first-order batsman.

Shubman Gill

“When you see your middle order and lower middle order score run like that and get the job done for the team, you get a lot of confidence as a captain and as a first-order batsman,” Gill said at the launch.What the first ODI showed was Indian coach Gautam Gambhir’s desire to have a left-handed batsman ahead of KL Rahul. At Edgbaston, that role went to Washington. During India’s Champions Trophy triumph last year, Axar was the preferred option to bat higher up the order. It also helps that Rahul has adapted to the No. 6 role. Since 2025, he has scored 291 runs in that position at an average of 36.37 and a strike rate of 99.31. That’s not to say he didn’t make a mark at No. 5. The same can be said of Axar, who was also tested at No. 5 and delivered.

Washington Sundar (right) and Axar Patel (left) scored half-centuries against England in the first ODI. (BCCI | X)

This selection dilemma could eventually resolve itself as only one of Axar or Washington can be a regular in India’s plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa. If Hardik Pandya and Harshit Rana regain full fitness, there may be room for a single spin-bowling all-rounder.For now, Axar and Washington have given an excellent account of themselves, and India’s road to the 2027 ODI World Cup is set on a positive note.