India's middle order batter Shreyas Iyer had to cut short a movie night and turn in earlier than planned on Wednesday but a match-defining half-century against England the next day made it all worthwhile.

Star India batter Shreyas Iyer walked in when India were shaken twice early to slip to 19/2 chasing 249, but produced a brilliant counter-attack smacking two sixes and nine boundaries to make 59 off 36 deliveries,

India middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has revealed a "funny story" regarding his selection in the playing XI for the the first ODI against England in Nagpur, which India won by four wickets and 68 balls remaing to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel smashed half-centuries as India defeated England by four wickets in the opening one-day international on Thursday and took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series that is a warmup for the Champions Trophy.

Debutant Harshit Rana has grabbed three wickets and vice-captain Shubman Gill has hit 87 runs off 96 balls for India to beat England by four wickets in the first one-day international in Nagpur.

The format changed, and so did most of the Indian team. But the outcome was the same, with England thumped in Brendon McCullum’s first one-day international as head coach.