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,

Star India batter Shreyas Iyer walked in when India were shaken twice early to slip to 19/2 chasing 249, but produced a brilliant counter-attack smacking two sixes and nine boundaries to make 59 off 36 deliveries,

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.

India middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has revealed a "funny story" regarding his selection in the playing XI for the the first ODI against England in Nagpur, which India won by four wickets and 68 balls remaing to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.