Joe Root sacrifices century as England level ODI series against India

Joe Root walked off the pitch at Lord's on Friday with 99 runs to his name — and not a shred of regret about the century that got away. England had chased down India's 304 with three wickets in hand, levelling the three-match ODI series at 1-1. For Root, personal milestones came a distant second.

"If you offered me 99 not out and a win, I'd take it every time," Root said after the match. His unbeaten knock, coming off 111 balls, anchored a chase that threatened to unravel more than once. England reached the target with 11 balls to spare.

Root's calm head in a tense chase

England's run chase had no shortage of drama. Openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow gave the hosts a brisk start, adding 68 runs inside the first 13 overs. But India's spinners pulled things back, and wickets fell at regular intervals. When Ben Stokes fell for 37, England still needed 89 runs with five wickets in hand.

Root held one end steady. He rotated strike, picked gaps, and kept the scoreboard moving without taking undue risks. It was a knock built on certainty — no wild slogs, no panic. He had earlier survived a close lbw review and a dropped catch, but made India pay for every mistake.

"Root's presence in the middle changes the dynamic of our chase," England captain Jos Buttler said. "He reads the game brilliantly and knows exactly when to shift gears."

India's batting — strong start, soft finish

India's innings followed a pattern that has become all too familiar on English soil. Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer put on 123 runs for the third wicket, with Kohli stroking 82 off 95 balls and Iyer scoring 71. The platform was set for a total well past 320.

Then came the collapse. From 242 for 2, India lost their last eight wickets for 62 runs. The lower order had no answer to England's pace duo of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, who bowled with genuine fire. Wood extracted extra bounce, while Archer's yorkers were near unplayable in the death overs.

"We let ourselves down in the last ten overs," India captain Rohit Sharma admitted. "We were 30 runs short and that proved crucial in the end."

Root's learning curve and England's ODI rebuild

Root, who has often been pigeonholed as a Test specialist, has been working on expanding his white-ball game. He said England's young ODI side is "learning on the job" after a string of inconsistent performances. "We are still figuring out our best combinations, but nights like this give us belief," Root added.

The series is now perfectly poised. England had lost the first ODI by 66 runs, but bounced back with a disciplined performance. India, by contrast, will be left to ponder why their middle order continues to crumble under pressure.

The third and final ODI will be played at Old Trafford in Manchester on Sunday. A series win would be a significant statement for either side — England's rebuilding side or India's battle-hardened unit.

What to watch: India's middle-order frailty against genuine pace and whether Root can carry his form into the decider.