Prince Yadav To Debut? Shivam Dube In; India's Predicted Playing XI For 1st ODI Vs England, 2026

The Indian cricket team [Source: AFP]

India have been on the quieter side of the game after a T20I series whitewash against England. The T20 World Cup 2026 champions were definitely humiliated on English soil, and the boys will be hungry for revenge.

The senior ODI team will face England for the 1st ODI on July 14. The match will be a thrilling one with the game scheduled at Birmingham for 3:30 PM IST. The squad will feature star seniors like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as Gautam Gambhir & Co. eyes redemption.

However, the English soil will not be easy to tackle for the subcontinental champions. As India aims for a bounce-back, let’s take a look at the strongest predicted Playing XI of India for the 1st ODI against England.

India Predicted Playing XI vs England- 1st ODI

Openers And Top Order: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer

India will look to rely on the shoulder of the largely experienced Rohit Sharma to open with Shubman Gill in the 50-over format. Rohit’s last encounters in the Afghanistan series have been decent, with an average of 47.67 from 3 matches. 

With a total of 846 ODI runs against the English Lions, Rohit’s experience will be vital to building a solid foundation at the top alongside Shubman Gill. Gill, too, after serving batting class in IPL 2026, would be eager to stamp his authority under his leadership in England. 

The 26-year-old carries an average of 67.00 against England in ODIs and would be eager to repeat the feat in the upcoming matches as well.

Virat Kohli has been in the headlines recently with reports of him not being able to participate in the England ODIs after a hamstring injury ruled him out in the Afghanistan ODIs. However, BCCI indicated a positive update recently. 

Also Read- IPL Blamed For India’s Disastrous T20I Campaign In England

Hence, Kohli, if included, would take his spot at No. 3 after Gill to increase his tally of 1397 ODI runs against England. The ODI great also has a total of 3 centuries and 10 fifties against England and would be a nightmare for the English bowlers to help India anchor any early shortcomings.

Shreyas Iyer is an excellent player of spin, and likely at No. 4, he would perform his best. Iyer had a decent T20I series against England and would like to repeat those heroics in the ODI series as well. After Kohli, Iyer’s expertise as a top-order stabiliser could help India survive any crash-out. Against England, Iyer averages 38.20 in ODIs with 191 runs under his belt.

Middle Order And All-Rounders: KL Rahul (wk), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel

The middle order will see KL Rahul at No. 5. The 'chameleon' KL Rahul is known to adapt to any batting position he is assigned to, and at No. 5, he has been one of the most prolific responders with the bat, batting with maturity and responsibility. 

Rahul had a poor Afghanistan ODI outing, and he was benched for the third game as well. While Ishan Kishan can be seen as a replacement for him, the series opener would likely see the senior retain his place.

Shivam Dube and Axar Patel would likely make it to the Playing XI as key all-rounders. Although Washington Sundar is a suitable prospect too, India sticking to Axar Patel for a spin-bowling all-rounder seems to be a preferable choice, given the seniority and experience in question. 

Dube’s power-hitting ability will come in handy if India need a rescue in the later stages of the game, while Axar Patel can contribute with lengthy knocks to stabilise the lower middle order. Overall, Dube’s pace and Patel’s spin would be something Gambhir and Co. would like to utilise.

Bowlers: Gurnoor Brar/Prince Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah

Amid the pace lineup, Jasprit Bumrah would likely lead at Edgbaston. The lush green pitch of England assists pacers and would allow Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh to thrive. Both the bowlers have had their workload managed and will be ready to fire for the team. 

Although latest update on Bumrah's availability is still a concern because of his recovery at BCCI's CoE, it is expected that the star will be playing the series opener.

Besides the pace duo, either Gurnoor Brar or Prince Yadav might get a nod from the BCCI for the first ODI. While Gurnoor Brar remains the preferred choice because of his earlier ODI performance, Yadav’s inclusion cannot be ruled out completely, as he impressed on his T20I debut.

Nevertheless, the spin department will be led by Kuldeep Yadav, with Axar Patel supporting him on a fairly spin-friendly Edgbaston pitch. Notably, at Birmingham, spin bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is the highest wicket-taker among Indian bowlers in ODIs.

India’s Predicted Playing XI vs England 1st ODI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Gurnoor Brar/Prince Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah

Also Read- BCCI Planning Suryakumar Yadav's T20I Comeback After Disastrous England Tour