England's predicted playing XI for the 1st ODI v India

All-rounders: Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran

Ben Stokes' all-round abilities are crucial for an occasionally misfiring England team.

One of the heroes of England's ICC World Cup 2019 triumph, Ben Stokes was one of the visitors' fiercest competitors on the field throughout the Test series, even as they hurtled towards a crushing defeat. The left-handed batsman did not have much of a role to play in England's T20I wins, and the change to a new format with more time at the crease will benefit Stokes.

Once an opener for England, Moeen Ali will bat at seven for the team, also bringing his accurate off-spin that has troubled the likes of Virat Kohli in the past. With India confirming Shikhar Dhawan's place in the XI, a spinner who takes the ball away from the likes of Dhawan, Pant and Washington Sundar might be a great bet.

Sam Curran will want to outshine his older brother for a spot in the side. While his role in all three formats is unquestionably important, Curran could be utilised better by England as an opening bowler and end-overs attacker to bring out his best.

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Bowlers: Mark Wood, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley

Mark Wood heaped pressure on India with the new ball during the T20Is.

It was hardly a coincidence that England lost the game which Mark Wood was absent from. The express pace bowler's ability to hustle opposition batsmen is mirrored by few in the current setup, except for Jofra Archer who is not playing this series. Ten overs of facing Wood must be making the Indian batting lineup sweat.

Adil Rashid had a strong outing with the ball initially, as he got the better of the Indian skipper twice for a low score. He also showed his ability to bowl in the powerplay and threaten opposition batsmen. With the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli tentative against spin early on, Rashid could have a say again.

Finally, Reece Topley is the front-runner to fill the void left by Jofra Archer. The tall pacer, who has been out of the game for a while, will look to make the most of this rare opportunity.