England named Liam Dawson in its playing XI for the first one-day international against India at Edgbaston on Tuesday, making him part of the team that will begin a three-match ODI series against one of its toughest recent opponents. Jos Buttler is set to mark his 200th ODI appearance for England in the same match.
The XI also includes Jacob Bethell, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue and Adil Rashid, with Bethell selected as an opener alongside Duckett for the first time in ODIs for England. That gives England a top order with room to attack early and a bowling unit built around pace and spin, while Dawson fits as the left-arm spin option in a side that has chosen balance over repetition.
England’s selection comes after nearly six months away from the 50-over format, a pause that ended with a home series against India carrying its own weight. The numbers are not kind to England: it has lost its last three ODI series against India and has not beaten them in a series since 2018, even after winning its previous 50-over assignment in Sri Lanka 2-1. That makes Tuesday’s lineup more than a team sheet. It is the first answer to a question England has not solved for years.
India arrive with Shubman Gill leading the side, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma back in the ODI team and Jasprit Bumrah returning after being rested for the T20 series. England’s choice of Dawson suggests it wants control through variety as much as pace, but the real test begins when the match starts and the selection is forced to justify itself against a full-strength India. For Buttler, the night carries a milestone; for Dawson, it is a chance to show why he was trusted in the XI at the start of the series.
