5 best India-England ODIs since 2000

Probably one of the most underrated of limited overs contests, India-England ODIs have featured their share of cliffhangers, nerve-wrenching contests and career-defining performances.

The imminent India-England series gives another batch of youngsters, as well as the comeback veterans, another chance at hogging the limelight.

As we wait for Virat Kohli & Co to battle it out against Eoin Morgan’s troops, let’s go back in time and revisit some of the best India-England encounters of this century.

#5 Ishant’s inspired spell, Edgbaston, 2013 Champions Trophy

The only major trophy missing from MS Dhoni’s cabinet was pocketed in 2013, when the Indian team edged past hosts England in the Champions Trophy final that year. Rain tried to play spoilsport, but after persistent showers and an equally persistent ground staff, a truncated 20-overs a side match was possible. India came out to bat first.

They almost made a mess of the first innings, stumbling to 66-5, before Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja got some sense and stability back. Big heaves from Jadeja in the closing stages helped India huff and puff to 129.

England themselves started on the wrong foot, losing four quick wickets, before Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara intervened to steady the ship. Things changed dramatically in the 18th over, when MS Dhoni pulled off a masterstroke by tossing the ball to Ishant Sharma, who picked up the duo to pull the rug from beneath the hosts. Ashwin bowled a tight last over to leave the English team five runs short of their first ICC title.

#4 Honours even, Bangalore, 2011 World Cup

A run-feast featuring 676 runs, yet a winner couldn’t be decided at Bangalore, where India and England battled out during their group stage World Cup game. Batting first, India rode on the back of Sachin Tendulkar’s 47th ODI hundred, but a familiar sight of the middle order failing halted them on 338. Still big for a World Cup game.

Andrew Strauss, however, had different plans, playing the innings of his life to thwart the Indian bowlers’ ideas. Dhoni pulled out a rabbit out of his hat, giving the ball to Zaheer Khan, who took two wickets in the same over to send the English team reeling. The middle order tried their best, but crumbled under pressure to fall a solitary run short of their target.

Take out Andrew Strauss’ 158, and the rest of the English batsman could only contribute 180 more, highlighting the inconsistency in their line-up.

#3 Robin Uthappa’s heroics, The Oval, 2007

When on song, Robin Uthappa could match the best as far as clean hitting is concerned. As a 22-year old, he showed the maturity of a veteran by taking India past the finishing line in a nail-biter at Oval in 2007.

The hosts found themselves in a spot of bother at 83-4, before Owais Shah, with help from Luke Wright and Dmitri Mascarenhas, scored his only international century to take the team to a solid total of 316.

In response, Team India were off to a flyer, courtesy the celebrated duo of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, who compiled yet another partnership worth 150. However, wickets started falling like ninepins when the team crossed 200. As they stumbled in the dark, the young Uthappa became the guiding light, using the crease to good effect, and using deft touches to guide deliveries to the fence, even as he kept falling short of partners. With four needed off three, he confidently stepped down the track and creamed Stuart Broad through covers to spark off wild celebrations.

#2 Ganguly’s men choke, Wankhede, 2002

The catalyst for Sourav Ganguly’s ecstatic balcony celebration at Lord’s was Andrew Flintoff’s own rendition at the Wankhede earlier that year. England desperately needed a win to bring the series on even terms. Marcus Trescothick gave them the perfect start, but the rest of the team couldn’t contribute as well. Eventually, they reached 255.

A steady start suddenly turned nightmarish when the middle order crumbled like a soggy biscuit in tea, leaving the hosts with eleven runs to get from the last six balls. Flintoff picked up wickets of the third and fourth delivery of the final over, leaving the hosts short by five runs and running around half naked, twirling his jersey around and leaving Sourav Ganguly gutted.

#1 The coming of age victory, Lord’s, NatWest 2002

The stuff worth telling as story to your grandchildren - the NatWest Trophy win of 2002 was the coming of age moment for Indian cricket, the juncture where it shed its inhibitions and insecurities to match the rest of the team shoulder to shoulder.

The journey to the title wasn’t easy, especially in the finals, where the English team looked like a tough nut to crack in the first half. Marcus Trescothick and Nasser Hussain blasted centuries, powering the hosts to 325, a big total to chase down in a final.

Virender Sehwag and Ganguly gave India a breezy start, but Dinesh Mongia, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid fell in quick succession, leaving a novice lower middle order with little experience to make a match out of it. Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh, youngsters waiting to find their feet, rose to the occasion. A whirlwind 69 from Yuvraj, coupled with Kaif’s assured 75, edged England away. Ganguly looked like he could have danced in the Lord’s balcony all night long.