England’s only significant change in the India series was a new opening combination of Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell, and it bore fruit at Lord’s.
The left-handed duo became England’s sixth opening pair since the 2023 World Cup, with Phil Salt, Jamie Smith and Zak Crawley currently out of contention and Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed considerations for the middle order after spells at the top.
They had a decent start in the first ODI at Edgbaston, putting on 63, but Duckett was dismissed first ball in the second fixture at Cardiff, with Bethell following shortly afterwards as England found themselves 8-2.
In London, however, the pair flogged a tired India attack, taking advantage of benign batting conditions to put on the highest ODI opening stand at Lord’s, with Duckett pressing on for his fourth century in the format.
Bethell, who has not previously batted higher than four for England in white-ball cricket, started his ODI opening career with innings of 14 and four, but cut a composed figure at the Home of Cricket.
He played in a typically positive fashion, striking at 97.85 as he plundered 11 fours and two sixes before falling for 91, just short of a second ODI ton.
The 22-year-old’s promotion up the order means England can carry an extra bowler, with the hosts fielding three seamers and spinner Adil Rashid alongside all-rounders Sam Curran and Will Jacks in the latter two matches of this series.
