Birmingham: India thrashed England by nine wickets to win the fourth one-day international at Edgbaston on Tuesday and take an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
The world champions restricted England to a meagre total of 206 all out, with seamers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami sharing five wickets between them after India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss.
India then cruised to their victory target of 207 with more than 19 overs to spare.
Ajinkya Rahane (106) scored his maiden one-day international hundred and shared an opening stand of 183 with Shikhar Dhawan (97 not out).
The series concludes at Leeds's Headingley ground on Friday.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar started the proceedings with a maiden. The newcomer Dhawal Kulkarni bowled the second over giving away 6 runs. Bur in came Bhuvneshwar Kumar to bowl his second maiden over in a row. While he maintained a good line and length, it was Rahane and Raina's superb work in the field that was eye-catching.
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Bhuvneshwar Kumar's third over was the most rewarding one for him and for Team India. First, he castled Hales' defence with a peach of an inswinger and then he dismissed Cook in the same over with a help from Raina in gully. Raina, continuing his superb catching form, took a sharp catch to end England skipper's stay in the middle.
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England were rocked once again when Mohammad Shami removed Gary Ballance in the 8th over. Ballance tried to play one to the leg-side. But the angled bat found an edge as Rahane took an easy catch in the covers.
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Eoin Morgan and Joe Root were strangled for runs by the Indian seamers. After troubled start, England managed to bring up their fifty in the 19th over. The duo continued to rebuild England inning with a much needed partnership.
Just when these two were looking good to strengthen England's position, Eoin Morgan lost his wicket giving an easy catch to Suresh Raina who was at Dhoni's favourite leg-slip off Jadeja's bowling.
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Joe Root too followed Moragn to the dressing room soon after. The man who 'can do no wrong' in the ongoing ODI series, Suresh Raina struck to put England in further trouble.
But India's nemesis in the Test series, Moeen Ali once again troubled India; this time with the bat. He smashed Indian attack in the batting powerplay and brought up his half-century in 37 balls.
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However, England kept losing wickets. Jos Buttler was adjudged LBW off Mohammad Shami's bowling. Chris Woakes tried to accompany Moeen Ali in the middle. But Suresh Raina's excellent work in the field (again) ended Woakes' stay.
Moeen Ali guided England to cross 200-plus total. But a dance down the track went wrong and he got out bowled off Ashwin's bowling. England eventually scored 206 failing to last 50 overs.
While the pair of Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar scalped 5 England wickets, the trio of Raina, Ashwin and Jadeja picked 4 wickets among themselves. Suresh Raina, India's go-to-man in the ongoing ODI series once again was on a roll with a wicket, two catches and a run-out against his name.
Teams:
India: Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (captain & wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Dhawal Kulkarni, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami.
England: Alastair Cook (captain), Alex Hales, Gary Ballance, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Steven Finn, James Anderson, Harry Gurney.
