Wed Feb 12 08:20:00 UTC 2025: ## India Eyeing Clean Sweep Against England in Final ODI
**Ahmedabad, India:** Riding high on two consecutive victories, India will aim for a clean sweep against England in the third and final ODI at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday. While the series is already secured with a 2-0 lead, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli, who needs a strong performance to regain form before the upcoming Champions Trophy.
The match holds added significance as it will be played at the same venue where India lost the ODI World Cup 2023 final. The Ahmedabad pitch, known for being challenging for batting, especially in the first innings (average score around 240), favors bowlers with its large boundaries. However, the second innings is typically easier, and the role of dew in the match will be crucial. Statistically, teams chasing have won 5 out of 8 ODIs at this ground since 2017.
Kohli’s form is a major concern for India ahead of the Champions Trophy, starting February 19th in Pakistan and Dubai. India’s first match is against Bangladesh on February 20th, followed by a clash against Pakistan on February 23rd. Rohit Sharma’s recent century in the second ODI offers a glimmer of hope, and Kohli will be looking to emulate his captain’s success. Kohli, yet to reach peak form, is only 89 runs away from becoming the third player to score 14,000 ODI runs.
India’s bowling attack has been bolstered by the return of Mohammed Shami and the inclusion of Varun Chakravarthy, providing much-needed relief with Jasprit Bumrah ruled out due to injury. Bumrah, who was expected to return in Ahmedabad, remains at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and will miss both the ODI and the Champions Trophy.
Other areas of focus for India include KL Rahul’s underperformance, potentially leading to ऋषभ पंत’s inclusion, and Arshdeep Singh’s possible replacement for Harshit. Shreyas Iyer’s form in the middle order and Axar Patel’s consistent all-round contributions will also be crucial.
England, under Jos Buttler, needs a strong performance across all departments to boost their morale before the Champions Trophy. The absence of the injured Jacob Bethell further compounds their challenges. While openers Phil Salt and Ben Duckett provided good starts in the previous match, the team failed to capitalize. Joe Root also showed promise but lacked support. Spinner Adil Rashid has been effective, but England’s batsmen will need to deliver if they hope for a victory.
First Piper 