ENG vs IND 1st ODI: Top 3 players to watch out for

England and India meet for the first of three One-Day Internationals at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Tuesday, July 14. India were hammered 4-0 in the five-match T20I series, being completely outplayed by the Three Lions in all facets. Shreyas Iyer and Co. were unable to adapt to conditions in the country.

The tourists head into the ODI series with the hope of redeeming themselves and returning with a morale-boosting win. England are currently ranked eighth in the ICC rankings and will need results to ensure they do not slip further and risk their chance of automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup. The two teams come into the series with star-studded squads, with multiple players capable of making a difference.

Here are three players to watch out for in the first ODI between England and India:

3) Gurnoor Brar

Gurnoor Brar was a surprise inclusion in the side for the ODI series against Afghanistan, but was one of the star performers in the series. The tall seamer from Punjab made life difficult for the Afghan batters, bowling at high pace and putting his hit-the-deck abilities on full display. Brar was the leading wicket-taker in the series with seven scalps, even bowling a brilliant spell of 3 for 27 in the first game, which was his debut.

England's batting core of Jacob Bethell, Joe Root and Harry Brook showed signs of struggle against the ball coming in in the recently concluded Test series against New Zealand. Brar's natural inward angle on release and the steep bounce he can generate off the surface could pose a major threat to the English batters, taking India closer to clinching the series.

2) Jacob Bethell

Over the last year or so, Jacob Bethell's  stock has kept increasing across all formats. 2025-26 was a breakthrough season for the young southpaw, scoring centuries in all three formats and becoming only the fourth England men's batter to achieve that feat. He has established himself as one of the Three Lions' main batters and a player who could be one of the future stalwarts of the team.

Bethell is slated to open the batting for England, becoming Ben Duckett's fifth opening partner in the recent past. He has opened the batting recently for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 2025 and 2026 seasons of the IPL, and has played at the top of the order for the Under-19 side in the 2022 World Cup. While questions will be asked of the move due to Bethell's success coming in the middle order, the decision shows the amount of faith the England management has put in their young hot prospect. 

1) Virat Kohli

This could be the last time Indian fans could see the talismanic Virat Kohli in England. The country has been a place of turnaround for the batting stalwart, with memories of the historic 2018 Test tour still fresh in the minds of fans. Kohli, who is still a key part of the ODI side, missed the series against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury he sustained during the final of the 2026 Indian Premier League.

Kohli is widely considered the greatest batter in the ODI format due to his magnitude of runs, understanding of the pace of the game and catalogue of iconic knocks. Despite his last appearance for India coming in January, Kohli's last seven innings have seen him record six 50-plus scores, of which three are centuries. He will be looking to continue this form against a spirited England side coming off a historic T20I series win.