By Will Jackson
India produced a stunning batting performance to thrash England by nine wickets and claim the Royal London one-day series at Edgbaston.
Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan put on a record 183 for the first wicket to take India to the brink of victory, before the winning runs were hit with over 19 overs to go as the tourists reached 212 for one.
Rahane made a classy 106, his maiden ODI hundred, while his partner was unbeaten on 97 as the game was finished in style, Dhawan hitting another huge six over long-on.
The England bowlers were helpless as the pair piled on the runs, with eight sixes hit in all and huge demonstration of the talent that made them world champions in Mumbai three years ago.
Rahane was eventually dismissed by Harry Gurney as India took the batting powerplay to accelerate the victory, but it made no difference to Dhawan who finally found his form on the tour.
England had only reached 206 thanks to Moeen Ali, who shone with the bat. Moeen was one of three changes made to the side that lost at Trent Bridge on Saturday, and impressed as he counter-attacked with 67 down the order.
The damage had already been done however. India won the toss and put England in and were immediately rewarded for the brave call as Alastair Cook, Alex Hales and Gary Ballance were dismissed inside the first 10 overs with just 23 runs on the board.
Eoin Morgan and Joe Root played patiently, reining in their attacking instincts to try and rebuild the innings, but the run-rate was low and after they were dismissed in quick succession, the England innings looked like petering out.
Moeen’s cameo provided some relief and encouragement for the England supporters, who were heavily outnumbered in the Edgbaston crowd.
Moeen attacked the spinners, something which has not been done very successfully by his team-mates of late, but ran out of partners as Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes went cheaply.
After the Worcestershire left-hander was finally dismissed, the innings faded away and Gurney was the last man to go when he missed a full ball from Mohammed Shami.
It capped an excellent day in the field for India, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shami and Ravindra Jadeja all impressing as they took two wickets each, and only the debutant Dhawal Kulkarni proving to be a bit expensive.
Once England took to the field there was only one result likely. India batted faultlessly and with such confidence that the only shock was when Rahane eventually fell to Gurney.
The game was capped off in style by Dhawan, who hit the final two balls of the match for four and six to give India an unassailable 3-0 series lead with just one game to play at Headingley on Friday.
Match Scorecard / Live ball-ball commentary
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India Innings
91 - MS Dhoni has won his 91st ODI as captain, taking him clear of Mohammad Azharuddin as the Indian skipper with most ODI wins. Leader.
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) September 2, 2014
4.36pm - INDIA WIN BY NINE WICKETS! India 212/1; Dhawan 97, Kohli 1 - Dhawan smashes the last two balls for four and six to complete an absolute rout for India. Say what you will about England, but there was some sensational batting in there from the world champions.
4.33pm - It's carnage out there and Virat Kohli hasn't even got going yet. Dhawan opens his shoulders to lift Woakes over the boundary and move the score past 200. An India win is imminent.
So at least England avoid a first ever 10 wicket home ODI defeat #bbccricket
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) September 2, 2014
4.25pm - WICKET! Rahane c Cook b Gurney 106; India 183/1 - What a shame that that innings had to come to an end. Rahane gets a toe-end on a low full-toss from Gurney and it loops up to Alastair Cook at cover who takes the catch.
4.23pm - The batting powerplay has been taken and Rahane subsequently hits the first ball over cover for four. This might not go on for much longer. Just 25 runs are needed.
100 for Rahane! His maiden ODI century. A brilliant knock from the India opener (9x4s, 4x6s) off 96 balls. Ind 176-0 - 31 needed #EngvInd
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 2, 2014
4.20pm - CENTURY! Rahane (96b 9x4, 4x6) Rahane reaches his first ODI century, and what an innings it has been. He clips it off his legs and scampers two to reach three figures; his second 50 coming off just 36 balls. He has been in sensational touch today.
4.13pm - Gurney over-steps the line and is dispatched miles back into the stands by Dhawan. He follows it up with a ramp past fine-leg for four more and India are cruising.
3.59pm - It's been a near-perfect innings from India so far. I can't think of a single chance they have offered; there have barely even been any play and misses as they advance towards the target. 68 runs needed with over half the innings left.
3.50pm - FIFTY! Dhawan (57b 7x4, 1x6) Dhawan follows his opening partner in going to a half-century with a six. It's a huge blow down the ground off James Anderson as the score moves past 120.
6 - Ajinkya Rahane & Shikhar Dhawan have recorded India's 6th ODI century opening partnership against England in England. Cruising. #EngvInd
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) September 2, 2014
3.32pm - FIFTY! Rahane (60b 6x4, 2x6) Rahane goes past 50 with a huge slog-sweep for six and follows it up with a tickle past fine-leg for four. It's been a fantastic innings so far, showing that proper batsmen can still be so effective.
The century partnership is also up as India reach the first drinks break without losing a wicket.
Ian Bell injury update: X-ray shows a small fracture on big left toe. He will be assessed ahead of Friday's fifth ODI at Headingley
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 2, 2014
3.24pm - Steven Finn goes round the wicket to give Rahane some short-pitched stuff, but it's been read as he gives himself room to free his arms and swing the ball high over the boundary for the first six of the Indian innings.
3.19pm - The introduction of Moeen Ali into the attack has slowed the scoring rate a little, but the India batsmen are more than happy to rotate the strike and wait for the bad ball given the start they have made.
3.02pm - Chris Woakes bowled the last over of the powerplay, but he's been despatched for three boundaries by Dhawan to move the India score to 57 without loss. Great start for the openers, who look in great touch all of a sudden.
2.51pm - India are flying here. A fantastic drive from Shikhar Dhawan and Rahane apiece have moved the score on to 40 without loss in the eighth over and England are looking a bit dejected.
2.46pm - The sound levels have shot through the roof in the last couple of overs, and the England players must feel like they're playing away from home. Fantastic noise from the India fans.
2.38pm - Ajinkya Rahane gets the innings up and running with successive boundaries off Anderson, but there was a hint of frustration creeping into his game there.
A third boundary comes with a sumptuous drive through cover; shot of the day perhaps? Finally a fourth boundary from the fifth ball of the over, as the small opener puts away a leg stump half-volley.
2.33pm - Good start from the England bowlers. James Anderson and Harry Gurney haven't given the two openers anything to hit yet.
2.21pm - The Indian batsmen are on their way out to the middle as they look to wrap up a series win.
England innings
WICKET Gurney bowled & that ends the England innings - 206 all out #EngvIndpic.twitter.com/rDExRAZJZn
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) September 2, 2014
1.38pm - END OF INNINGS! Eng 206 all out; Gurney 3, Anderson not out 1 - The final over is a rather sedate affair as Harry Gurney plays and misses before he is cleaned up by Shami.
1.27pm - WICKET! Finn b Jadeja 2; Eng 202/9 - Steven Finn takes a horrible swipe at a ball from Jadeja and the innings is petering out now.
1.24pm - WICKET! Moeen b Ashwin 67; 201/8 - An excellent innings from the left-hander comes to an end as he gets it all wrong and the ball finds a way through his defences.
1.22pm - The 200 is up in the 47th over, courtesy of a single to Moeen. It might not be a massive score, but there are plenty of positives for England in this innings from Moeen.
I won't be surprised if Raina starts walking on water. Can't put a foot wrong. #magic
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 2, 2014
1.14pm - WICKET! Woakes run out 10; Eng 194/7 - Moeen calls Chris Woakes through for a quick single but a superb pick-up and throw from Raina sees Woakes well short of his ground.
1.12pm - There's another boundary to Moeen, as he puts away a full-toss from Ashwin. We're into the 45th over and England are up to 193 for six. How much can they get here?
1.08pm - FIFTY! Moeen (37b 3x4, 3x6) Moeen goes to an excellent half-century as he capitalises on a short ball from Raina and pulls it over the ropes for anothe six. Excellent innings so far from the Worcestershire all-rounder.
1pm - That's the end of the powerplay, but it was a productive one for England and Moeen in particular. They scored 44 for the loss of one wicket, by some distance their best of the series. Shame about that last wicket though.
12.57pm - WICKET! Buttler lbw b Shami 11; Eng 164/6 - The fifty partnership comes up but Buttler is gone the very next delivery as the batsman is caught on the crease trying to work the ball to the leg side.
12.50pm - The 150 is up as Moeen sweeps Jadeja for four more. He's moved quickly into the thirties and England have played this powerplay very well so far. Six more for Moeen! Straight down the ground; great shot!
Six! #MoeenAli pulls the ball into the crowd off Ashwin. England 141-5 after 37 overs #EngvInd
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) September 2, 2014
12.46pm - First six of the innings! It's a good contest between Moeen and Ashwin. The England spinner comes down the wicket to his Indian counterpart, before rocking back to the next ball and pulling the ball high over midwicket for the first six of the day.
12.39pm - The powerplay is taken after 35 overs, with the score on 123 for five. It usually brings about a fall of wickets but England cannot afford for that to happen, but they need the runs desperately.
Moeen Ali hits the first ball for four! Would you believe it - that's the first boundary for 11 overs. He's looked good in his brief innings so far.
12.30pm - WICKET! Root c Kulkarni b Raina 44; Eng 114/5 - Root tries to take the attack to Raina, but the ball bounces a bit much for the reverse-sweep and a top edges flies to short third man where Kulkarni takes the catch above his head. Big blow for England.
12.29pm - Raina is back into the attack, but will we see an attacking approach to the part-time spinner? Root and Morgan are not doing too badly in terms of rotating the strike, but it's the lack of boundaries that is hampering the innings to date.
12.24pm - The wicket has brought Jos Buttler to the crease, but at least he has some sort of a platform after that partnership of 80 between Root and Morgan.
12.18pm - WICKET! Morgan c Raina b Jadeja 32; Eng 103/4 - Just as things were starting to look up for England, Morgan has tickled Jadeja round the corner into the waiting hands of Raina at leg-slip. He was perhaps unfortunate, but having done all the hard work he will be disappointed with the nature of the dismissal.
12.16pm - The hundred is up as Root nurdles Ravichandran Ashwin away for a single in the 28th over.
12.07pm - Morgan is looking more like his old self now, with an excellent chip over cover which gathers pace on the outfield and speeds away to the boundary. Things looking a bit more comfortable for England now, but the rate is still hovering under four an over.
England rebuilding nicely through Root (28*) & Morgan (24*). They have put on 50 for the fourth wicket. Eng 82-3 (24ovs) #EngvInd
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 2, 2014
11.57am - Spin from both ends now as Ravindra Jadeja is introduced into the attack, and he immediately has a big appeal for leg before turned down by umpire Tim Robinson. It looked close, with Morgan going back and across, but replays show the ball to be going over the top.
11.51am - The fifty is finally up for England in the 19th over, and Morgan follows it up with his first boundary of the innings - from his 27th ball. It's been a struggle for the Middlesex man, but he's fought gamely and a cover-drive from the very next ball suggests he may have found his timing.
11.43am - Drinks are taken after 17 overs, and it's been a very good mini-session for India. England have reached just 48 for three, with Root advancing to 19.
16 - Indian bowlers' play and miss percentages after 16 overs (of shots played): Kumar 20%, Kulkarni 13% and Shami 31.2%. Elusive. #EngvInd
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) September 2, 2014
11.36am - The boundaries have generally dried up but the England batsmen are doing a good job between the wickets to try and inject some momentum into the innings. They're scampering between the wickets, but not without a few moments of concern.
11.23am - Streaky boundary to Root, who is caught on the crease and edges the ball through the slips and down to the boundary. Bhuvneshwar finishes a good over by going past the outside edge of the Yorkshireman twice more.
11.15am - England are on 25 for three at the end of the powerplay, with Eoin Morgan and Joe Root settling down to rebuild the innings.
11.05am - WICKET! Ballance c Rahane b Shami 7; Eng 23/3 - Mohammed Shami is in on the act now, tempting Ballance into playing slightly across the line and a leading edge carries to Ajinkya Rahane at cover.
11.01am - It's slow going for England now, but Ballance drives beautifully down the ground to give a little nudge to the run-rate. England are on 23 for two in the eighth over.
10.50am - WICKET! Cook c Raina b Bhuvneshwar 9; Eng 16/2 - Oh dear oh dear England. Gary Ballance rotates the strike and then Cook guides a wide-ish ball straight into the hands of Suresh Raina at gully who takes a sharp catch. India look very lively in the field it has to be said.
10.47am - WICKET! Hales b Bhuvneshwar 6; Eng 15/1 - Hales is finally facing up to Bhuvneshwar, but his first ball nips back and a lack of footwork from the England opener leaves his stumps exposed and he's clean bowled. Big blow already for England.
10.46am - It's a bit of a struggle for the England skipper so far and frustration gets the better of him as he slashes a wide ball over the slips. He's in much more control of that one though, and the ball races away to the point boundary as England advance to 15 from four overs.
10.38am - Good start for Hales as he caresses his first ball to the cover boundary after Cook sees out a maiden first up. A bit of uncertainty for the Notts man follows however, as he's caught in two minds.
62 - Alastair Cook today draws level with Andrew Strauss as the player to captain England the most times in ODIs (62). Skipper.
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) September 2, 2014
10.30am - It's Alastair Cook who will face up to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, with his opening partner Alex Hales at the other end. The opening partnership has shown encouraging signs in the two games so far.
Pre-Play News
10.26am - James Tredwell is unlucky to miss out but it's a big chance for Moeen to stake his claim for a World Cup spot. He was so impressive in the Tests just a few weeks ago that he may still have a hold over some of the Indian batsmen.
England: Alastair Cook, Alex Hales, Gary Ballance, Eoin Morgan, Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Steven Finn, James Anderson
India: Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Mohammed Shami
10.05am - TOSS! India have won the toss and will bowl first. England are without Ian Bell, who was struck on the toe in net practice this morning and is replaced by Gary Ballance at number three, while James Tredwell makes way for Harry Gurney and Ben Stokes loses his place to Moeen Ali. Just the one change for India, as Dhawal Kulkarni comes in for his international debut, in place of Mohit Sharma.
9.40am - It's not gone England's way so far in the series, suffering heavy defeats at the SWALEC Stadium and Trent Bridge. However, coach Peter Moores still thinks his side can salvage a draw in the remaining two games.
9.30am - Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the fourth Royal London one-day international between England and India from Edgbaston. It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day, and the pitch looks a good one as it receives some final TLC before play starts in an hour.
Sunshine at Edgbaston. Yes - you read correctly, we have sunshine at Edgbaston! On air on @BBC5LSX at 10.15 #EngvIndpic.twitter.com/zeHVqYtdak
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) September 2, 2014