Swashbuckling Sharma condemns England to another series defeat

England will enter the Champions Trophy this month after four consecutive one-day international series defeats, their latest confirmed by the relentless blade of Rohit Sharma.

- Taha Hashim

Questions about Sharma's future have piled up in recent weeks, as would be the case for any 37-year-old player out of nick. But a one-day series at home is a radically different challenge to a Test tour of Australia, and the aura of a white-ball king remains. Sharma struck a 90-ball 119, his 49th international hundred, as India hunted down a target of 305 in Cuttack with four wickets and 5.3 overs to spare.

Sharma, India's captain, went big, something England's batting lineup could only threaten to do.

Each member of the visiting top six reached 26 but none went to 70, Ben Duckett and Joe Root the two half-centurions. Breaching 300 meant for a lively contest in the second half, or so we thought.

Sharma found support through Shubman Gill's 60 and, while wickets tumbled near the end, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja applied the finishing touches. India lead the series 2-0, with a knockabout at the Ahmedabad coliseum to round things off.

England's record on this tour stands at one win and six defeats, their last ODI series victory preceding the 2023 World Cup. It's tough reading as another major tournament approaches, their plans complicated by a hamstring injury sustained by Jacob Bethell. He appears likely to miss the Champions Trophy.

Somerset's Tom Banton has been called up as cover for the series finale on Wednesday, a reward for county and franchise runs.