The 45-year-old was seen in the stands during England’s innings. As the stadium cameras focused on him, the crowd erupted in applause, giving one of India’s most revered cricketers a warm reception.
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— Sarthak???? (@VibexSarthak) July 14, 2026
Dhoni was joined by his wife, Sakshi, as they enjoyed the series opener from the stands in Birmingham.
India clinched a victory on its tour of the United Kingdom, marking England’s first one-day international loss at Edgbaston in 12 years on Tuesday. After grappling from 107-6 to finish at 258 all out, England could not defend the total. A composed India executed the run chase flawlessly, reaching 262-4 to win by six wickets with 28 balls to spare.
This victory revives what had been a challenging tour for India. The Twenty20 world champions faced setbacks, being swept 2-0 by Ireland in Belfast and 4-0 by England, losing their top ranking. However, the return of key players like captain Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jaspit Bumrah, and Lokesh Rahul — many of whom had not played in weeks — proved to be a decisive factor against England to kick off the three-match series.
The only setback for India was Gill retiring hurt on 80 due to cramps. He was in a strong position for his third century in his last five internationals for India before he was forced to leave. He has stated he should be ready for the second ODI on Thursday in Cardiff.
“We were under pressure, but how we came back and responded was crucial,” Gill remarked. “The conditions were similar to South Africa (the host of the 50-over World Cup next year) — the ball was bouncing, making runs tough to come by. The pitch then settled nicely.”
The target set was not overly challenging, but India’s cautious approach in the run chase faced a couple of hiccups.
Openers Sharma and Kohli fell quickly within the first nine overs.
Gill regained the momentum with a fifty off 51 balls, including 30 from boundaries. However, following his retirement hurt on 80 from 75, India experienced another dip with three wickets lost in just 15 deliveries.
Shreyas Iyer was run out on 35 by Harry Brook, and Rahul was bowled by Josh Tongue.
Yet, allrounders Washington Sundar and Axar Patel steadied the ship, accumulating singles that gradually diminished England’s hopes.
Sundar was fortunate to survive on 28 when the ball ricocheted off his pad and shoe, hitting the stumps without dislodging a bail. He and the more aggressive Patel forged an unbeaten partnership of 102 from a steady 105 balls.
Patel finished with an impressive 57 not out for his fourth ODI fifty, while Sundar scored a career-best 52, concluding the game with a six down the ground while on one knee.
Patel was awarded the player of the match for also capturing England’s last four wickets. He became the sixth Indian male cricketer to achieve a fifty and a four-wicket haul in an ODI and the first since 2022 by Hardik Pandya against England in Manchester.
(With AP inputs)
First Published: Jul 14, 2026 11:54 PM IST
