Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell didn't put a foot wrong at Lord's on Sunday, as England's openers tore into a depleted Indian bowling attack missing its biggest weapon, Jasprit Bumrah.

After captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to bat in the series decider, the hosts got off to a flyer. Duckett and Bethell formed a record-breaking opening stand of 192 runs, giving England the perfect launchpad to post a mammoth 387-3, the highest ODI total ever recorded at the iconic venue.

The absence of Bumrah was felt immediately. Without their pace spearhead, India's bowlers struggled to find consistency, serving up half-volleys that the English openers gleefully punished. Prince Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, and Axar Patel were all taken to the cleaners as Duckett and Bethell hammered boundaries with alarming regularity.

The duo's partnership was England's best opening stand against India in ODIs, surpassing the previous record of 160 between Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow at Edgbaston during the 2019 World Cup. It also registered as the fourth-highest partnership for any wicket at Lord's in ODI cricket, trailing only the legendary stands of Strauss-Flintoff (226), Hick-Fairbrother (213), and Gooch-Gower (202).

Duckett was the aggressor, smashing 141 off 135 deliveries with exquisite stroke play. Bethell provided excellent support, scoring a fluent 91 off 93 balls, studded with 11 fours and two sixes. The young left-hander looked set for a well-deserved century before falling to Prasidh Krishna, but his innings had already done the damage.

So why was Bumrah missing? Earlier, the BCCI confirmed that India's pace spearhead had suffered an impact injury on his left knee while fielding in the second ODI at Cardiff. "Jasprit Bumrah had an impact injury on his left knee while fielding in the second ODI in Cardiff. He was not available for selection for the third ODI due to reactive swelling in his left knee," a BCCI spokesperson said.

His absence proved decisive. Without Bumrah's control and wicket-taking ability, India's bowling attack looked toothless. England's openers capitalized ruthlessly, putting the visitors under pressure from the very first over. The lack of experience and penetration in the bowling unit allowed England to build a total that ultimately proved too steep for India's chase.

For England, this innings was a statement of intent. Duckett and Bethell announced themselves on the biggest stage, and their partnership set the tone for a dominant series-clinching victory.

For India, the match served as a harsh reminder of just how crucial Bumrah is to their bowling attack and how fragile their plans become without him.