Joe Root hits unbeaten 99 as England level ODI series with India | Cricket

After the meltdown by England’s footballers in Atlanta, the national mood was never going to be significantly improved by their cricketers. Nevertheless, a hard-fought four-wicket victory over India in Cardiff was a boost for Harry Brook’s side and set up a series decider at Lord’s on Sunday.

Not that they did it easily. Set just 234 on a curious surface on which the ball stopped at times and only the technicians prospered – Virat Kohli had earlier purred to 65 from 66 balls – they slipped to 94 for four inside the 20th over. But thanks to Joe Root’s classy unbeaten 99, a one-all scoreline was secured with 35 balls to spare.

Brook could certainly breathe a little easier. The England captain had marshalled his bowlers smartly while skittling India for 233 in 44 overs, with Jofra Archer, three for 47, leading the way. But his dismissal for 16 when attempting an ambitious ramp shot off Gurnoor Brar was – much like the win – not the prettiest.

Although this is the thing with Brook: what brings him success can also make his dismissals so maddening. Here he ended up on his backside with his legs in the air, as India’s players celebrated in hysterics. Moments earlier he had been clonked on the head when attempting something similar. He had also nailed one for six.

Still, for all that Brook continues to frustrate, the calming presence of Root ensured that slapstick moment was not terminal. His 133-ball vigil was a bit of a gem in this dogfight – a case of mastering conditions, picking off his boundaries (nine) and putting a high price on his wicket as they fell at the other end.

It began when he faced the second ball of the chase after Jasprit Bumrah had wiped out Ben Duckett. And it came despite watching Jacob Bethell edge Prasidh Krishna behind on four, Brook’s lunacy and Sam Curran (29) becoming the latest England batter to fall this summer with the keeper standing up to the quicks.

In the end, after Jos Buttler was bowled trying to launch Axar Patel back over his head on 17 to make it 125 for five, support materialised in the shape of Will Jacks and 30 from 44 balls. He and Root put on 72 for the sixth wicket, with Gus Atkinson, fresh from figures of three for 50, then impishly making 23 not out.

The only issue for Root was that he was within touching distance of his 21st one-day international century when Atkinson pulled Krishna to the rope with just three to win. Not that Root appeared overly fussed, jokingly punching his partner in the arm before exchanging handshakes with India’s players.

This was a much-needed win for England, who sit eighth in the rankings and face an uphill struggle to get fully up and running by the time the 2027 World Cup rolls around. Barring injury, Root will still be central to their plans as the one player in their top six who seems in sync with the rhythms of 50-over cricket.

If a report in the Indian Express is correct, then Rohit Sharma is unlikely to make it that far. India’s master opener has apparently been told he is no longer in their plans and Lord’s is tipped to be his farewell. His innings here – a scratchy 26 in which he was dropped early on five – will have done little to change minds.

Not that Sharma was to blame for India’s meagre total. Having recovered from the loss of Shubman Gill for a glossy 31, the tourists were 104 for one in the 18th over. Kohli looked contrastingly imperious at the other end and thoughts of a 300-plus total can only have been percolating.

But once Sharma toe-ended Jacks behind on the sweep, England applied the squeeze well and India seemed unsettled by the bounce. Brook, who won the toss, also had a far more balanced attack than during Tuesday’s loss at Edgbaston: four seamers to call upon and thus the licence to push through his most threatening.

This was Jofra Archer on the day. His work was done by the end of the 40th over but he had changed the complexion of the innings. He removed the bristling Kohli via a skewed edge to deep third to make it 178 for four, then sent Patel and Shivam Dube on their way in successive deliveries.

Shreyas Iyer was the only other Indian batter to look comfortable, cracking five fours, two sixes – and even a poor seagull minding its business at cover – en route to 66 from 71 balls. When Atkinson knocked him over and uprooted Krishna’s leg stump to shut things down, India had too few runs to work with.

India’s total would have been worse but for Bumrah swatting 20. This included 18 off one over that slightly damaged Saqib Mahmood’s final figures of two for 52. And when the same man found Duckett’s edge first ball, the crowd inside Sophia Gardens suspected a nail-biter could ensue.

But for all the caginess, and the constant menace every time Bumrah came on, the only true jeopardy during the finale was whether Root would reach three figures. As the man himself put it after being denied: “Getting the win is what it’s all about. Sometimes you have to scrap and win ugly.”