The countdown to one of the summer's biggest cricketing rivalries is officially on. England have unveiled their 16-man squad for the upcoming five-match ODI series against India, which kicks off on July 14 at Edgbaston in Birmingham. From there, the action moves to Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, Wales, for the second fixture.

Headlining the announcement is Jofra Archer, who has been rewarded for his red-hot form in the Indian Premier League. The tearaway pacer was Rajasthan Royals' top wicket-taker in IPL 2026, snaring 25 scalps in 16 games, a run that’s clearly caught the selectors' attention. He's currently in the middle of England's T20I series against the same opposition, so he'll be well acclimatised to Indian conditions by the time the ODIs roll around.

Archer is no stranger to the 50-over format. Since making his ODI debut back in 2019, he's picked up 65 wickets in 36 matches at an impressive average of 24.38 and an economy of just over 5 runs per over. His career-best figures of 6/40, a devastating spell against South Africa in 2023- 24, remain fresh in memory. Of course, he was also England's leading wicket-taker during their triumphant 2019 World Cup campaign, where he played a starring role.

Interestingly, Archer has only faced India twice in ODIs so far, managing just one wicket, and that too came at the expense of his Rajasthan Royals teammate Yashasvi Jaiswal during a game in Nagpur last year. But if his recent performances are anything to go by, he’ll be eager to add a few more Indian scalps to his tally. The 31-year-old is clearly enjoying a purple patch; just last month, he was named Player of the Series in England's Test matches against New Zealand at home.

Looking at the bigger picture, India and England have a long history in this format, having locked horns 110 times in ODIs. The stats favour the Men in Blue, who have won 61 of those encounters, while the Three Lions have claimed victory 44 times.

England squad for the 2026 ODI series vs India:
Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, James Coles, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Josh Tongue.
England squad for the 2026 ODI series vs India:
Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, James Coles, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Josh Tongue.