London, Jul 18: India and England will square off in the decisive third and final ODI at Lord's on Sunday with the three-match series level at 1-1, setting up a winner-takes-all contest between two sides that have traded blows over the past week.

The stage could hardly be grander as Lord's, the Home of Cricket, gears up to the decisive decider. After India struck first at Edgbaston and England responded through Joe Root's masterclass in Cardiff, the battle now shifts to one of the sport's most iconic venues, where both teams have one final opportunity to claim series honours before turning their attention to future assignments.

England arrives with renewed confidence after Root's unbeaten 99 orchestrated a four-wicket chase in the second ODI, erasing the disappointment of the series opener. The veteran has once again underlined his status as the backbone of England's batting and heads into the decider in remarkable touch, having registered five consecutive ODI half-centuries. Having negotiated Jasprit Bumrah effectively in Cardiff, Root will once again be central to England's hopes of sealing the series on home soil.

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India, however, will draw encouragement from Virat Kohli's return to form. The former captain looked in complete control during his 65 in Cardiff, displaying the fluency that had been missing earlier in the tour. Another fifty-plus score at Lord's would see Kohli draw level with Kumar Sangakkara for the most 50-plus scores against England in ODI cricket. He also crossed the 1,400-run mark in ODIs played in England during the previous match and now sits second only to Rohit Sharma (1,465) among visiting batters with the most ODI runs in the country. Should both senior batters enjoy productive outings, they could simultaneously breach the 1,500-run milestone in England.

The spotlight, though, remains firmly on Rohit Sharma. The India captain has endured an uncharacteristically lean run, managing just one half-century in eight ODI innings this year. Lord's has often been the stage where reputations are reinforced, and India will hope their captain rediscovers his rhythm when it matters most. A strong opening partnership between Rohit and Kohli would go a long way in easing the pressure on the middle order.

England, meanwhile, will once again bank on Adil Rashid to disrupt India's batting. The leg-spinner has often troubled Kohli in ODI cricket, making that duel one of the defining subplots of the contest. Equally intriguing will be Bumrah's battle against Root after the England batter emerged on top in their previous meeting.

India could also receive a timely boost if KL Rahul recovers from the illness that ruled him out of the Cardiff fixture. Rahul has been among India's most consistent ODI batters since the start of 2025, averaging comfortably above 50, and his return would strengthen a batting unit chasing a series victory in challenging conditions.

There are selection headaches elsewhere for the visitors. Washington Sundar's absence leaves India short of a like-for-like all-round option, forcing the team management to reconsider the balance of the XI. Whether India opts for an additional specialist batter or reinforces the bowling attack could prove pivotal on a Lord's surface expected to offer assistance to the seamers early on.

History also adds another layer to Sunday's contest. While Lord's has been the venue for several of India's most memorable overseas triumphs, the team has not won an ODI at the iconic ground for 22 years. Ending that wait would not only secure the series but also hand India an eighth ODI series victory over England since 2010.

With Root carrying England's batting, Kohli regaining his touch, Rohit looking to find his mojo, and Lord's providing the perfect backdrop, the decider has all the ingredients for a fitting finale to a fiercely contested series.

MATCH DETAILS

Date & Time: July 19, 3:30 PM IST

Venue: Lord’s Cricket Ground, London

Telecast & Stream: Sony Sports Network & JioHotstar

THE SQUADS

England: Harry Brook (c), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wk), James Coles, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Josh Tongue.

India: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vc), KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar, Prince Yadav.

(IANS)