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.

While watching a movie and contemplating "extending his night," a call from India captain Rohit Sharma alerted him about replacing Virat Kohli in the first ODI against England and Shreyas Iyer channeled all his recent domestic circuit experience to score his 19th ODI fifty,

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

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.

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.