IND vs ENG 3rd ODI 2026: Lord’s Set for Blockbuster Series Decider – Full Match Preview

India and England will square off in the decisive third and final ODI at Lord’s on Sunday, July 19, with the three-match series level at 1-1. The winner takes all at the Home of Cricket .

Match Details

Series So Far

India struck first at Edgbaston, but England responded in style at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, registering a four-wicket victory to level the series . Joe Root anchored the chase with an unbeaten 99, while Jofra Archer (3-47) and Gus Atkinson (3-50) triggered an Indian collapse from 178/3 to 233 all out .

The Rohit Sharma Question

All eyes will be on Rohit Sharma at Lord’s. Amid intense speculation about his international future, the BCCI has clarified that this match will not be his last . However, having managed just one half-century in eight ODI innings this year, the 39-year-old veteran has a point to prove .

A true batting surface at Lord’s may allow Rohit to regain his rhythm, unlike the two-paced pitch in Cardiff where he consumed nine consecutive dot balls before getting out . His battle with Jofra Archer’s express pace in the powerplay will be a key contest .

Players to Watch

Joe Root (England) – In a league of his own. Root has scored 175 runs without being dismissed across the first two games (76, 99) and has now registered five consecutive ODI half-centuries . The England record for runs between dismissals is 309 – set by Root himself in 2018 .

Virat Kohli (India) – Back in form with a fluent 65 in Cardiff. He is now one 50-plus score away from equalling Kumar Sangakkara’s record for most fifty-plus scores against England in ODI cricket .

Jasprit Bumrah (India) – Has taken just one wicket in each of the first two games, but Lord’s holds special memories. Bumrah recorded stunning figures of 7/112 in the Test match here last summer .

Jos Buttler (England) – England’s white-ball great has a surprisingly poor ODI record against India (average 21.96). It’s over three years since his last ODI hundred .

Head-to-Head Record

• Matches Played: 112

• England Wins: 45

• India Wins: 62

• Tied/No Results: 5

India have won 16 of the last 22 ODIs against England since the start of 2025 .

Predicted Playing XIs

India (Predicted)

Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel, Gurnoor Brar, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav 

Key Changes:

• KL Rahul is likely to return after recovering from illness, replacing Ishan Kishan 

• Washington Sundar is ruled out with a right hamstring injury; Harsh Dubey has been drafted as replacement 

• Kuldeep Yadav is expected to play his first match of the series as a frontline spinner 

• Shivam Dube might be dropped for the extra bowler 

England (Predicted)

Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid 

Key Changes: Liam Dawson and Tom Banton have been released for T20 Blast Finals Day. Josh Tongue is a bowling option .

Lord’s Pitch Report

Lord’s offers one of the most balanced wickets in world cricket. The famous slope provides early seam movement and bounce, making the opening overs crucial . Batting first is generally preferred – not since 2017 has an ODI been won here by the team chasing .

Average Score: 270-290 

Key Stats: India have not won an ODI at Lord’s since 2004, when Sourav Ganguly scored 90 . No Indian batter has ever scored an ODI century at Lord’s .

Weather Forecast

Conditions look encouraging with mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies. Temperatures between 13°C and 24°C, with rain probability at 0-10% .

Match Prediction

England are riding high on momentum and Joe Root’s incredible form. However, India remain the No.1 ranked ODI side and are available at 11/10 with bookmakers – a price that represents value given their record against England .

Final Verdict: India’s middle-order woes are a concern, but the return of Rahul and the form of Kohli and Bumrah give them the edge at Lord’s.

Key Battles to Watch