Mon Feb 10 07:04:16 UTC 2025: ## Rohit Sharma’s Century Powers India to Series Win Over England
**Cuttack, India –** Rohit Sharma blasted a magnificent century, his 32nd in ODIs, to lead India to a convincing 4-wicket victory over England in the second ODI at Cuttack. This win gives India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Sharma’s innings was a thing of beauty, a display of power hitting and elegant strokeplay that silenced critics who had questioned his recent form. He was particularly effective against Gus Atkinson, pulling several short balls for boundaries. His century anchored India’s chase of 304, a target set by England after they won the toss and elected to bat first.
Shubman Gill also contributed significantly, scoring a half-century (60), showcasing the continued strength of India’s opening partnership. However, Virat Kohli’s return to the side after injury was less successful, managing only 5 runs before being dismissed by Adil Rashid. Shreyas Iyer (44) and Axar Patel also played important roles in the lower-middle order, steering India to victory despite a late collapse.
Earlier, England’s innings was built around a solid contribution from Joe Root (50) and Ben Duckett, but India’s bowlers, particularly Ravindra Jadeja (3-33) and Harshit Rana, kept a tight leash on the scoring rate. England eventually posted 304, a total deemed challenging but ultimately insufficient against India’s powerful batting line-up.
The match was briefly interrupted by a faulty floodlight, causing a delay during India’s chase, but the interruption did little to disrupt India’s momentum. The final nail in the coffin came when Mark Wood was run out off the final delivery.
The series win is a significant boost for India ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy, with Sharma’s return to form being a key positive. England, on the other hand, will need to address their bowling woes and lack of spin-bowling depth before the next major tournament. The third and final ODI will now be a dead rubber.
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