Root celebrates his ton (©GettyImages). England will not look back upon their summer of ODI cricket with any sort of joy or pride, but Joe Root did at least ensure that they were able to end their series with India on a high note.
India had already sewn up their five match series win with ease before this encounter at Headingley, yet it makes one wonder how different things could have been if England had batted like Root did today throughout.
The 23-year-old had, like the rest of his fellow English batsman, had struggled somewhat in the shorter format of the game but he certainly found another gear in Yorkshire.
Root heroics
Root was positive from the beginning despite another poor start for the hosts and his knock of 113 - which lasted 108 balls and contained three sixes and ten fours - lifted England to a competitive score of 294-9.
Ben Stokes was then instrumental in ensuring a comeback in the visitors' innings didn't go on to spoil England's day as MS Dhoni's side were bowled out for 253 - securing a 41-run win for Alistair Cook's side.
Cook seemingly made the correct decision from the outset to recall Stokes. Kent's James Tredwell was also re-introduced at the expense of Harry Gurney.
Solid start
England's captain then helped his side to a solid start after being asked to bat first by Dhoni, although early wickets did fall.
Alex Hales (4) was first to go when Umesh Yadav - India's sole change for Dhawal Kulkarni - got his first wicket via a catch from Ajinkya Rahane.
Moeen Ali (9) had been promoted up the order after his efforts at Edgbaston, but he also fell for single figures to the ever-impressive Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Cook and Root then combined to pile on the runs and avoided another collapse in the process.
The pair had edged towards the 100-mark when Cook fell just four short of a half-century, with Suresh Raina tempting him to edge behind to Dhoni. Eoin Morgan was out for 14 as Dhoni stumped him from Ravichandran Ashwin's spin.
Fireworks
The fireworks really started when Jos Buttler came to the crease. He and Root combined for a partnership of over 100, with Ravindra Jadeja coming in for particular punishment.
Buttler also failed to get to 50, however, he was run out on 49 and Root's stupendous knock was finally ended by Mohammed Shami.
Stokes made sure their good work didn't go unrewarded, however, as the home side got to 294. His rapid 33 not-out was aided by decent support from Chris Woakes (9) and Tredwell (8 not-out).
Bowlers target
Finally the England bowlers had a decent total to defend and lead fast-bowler James Anderson made sure he took advantage of a rare situation.
He dismissed Ajinkya Rahane for a duck and Virat Kohli (13) was also put in the pavilion by the 32-year-old soon after.
Ali displayed his Test match spin bowling credentials earlier in the summer and he impressed again in the shorter form. By the time he had removed Shikhar Dhawan (31) and Raina (18), India were wobbling at 91-4, still some way from their victory target.
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Failed comeback
Ambati Rayudu had started a fightback with an impressive half-century, with Dhoni at the other end, but he couldn't go on to punish the hosts as Stokes picked up his first wicket with Rayudu on 53.
Dhoni would usually relish the situation but Steven Finn had him caught by Stokes while on 23 and it looked like curtains for the visitors from that point onwards.
Ashwin and Jadeja, both highly-valued all-rounders, were keen for their country not to go down without a fight as they took the score past 200.
The match-ending spell then started for England. Stokes removed Aswin (15) and Shami (0) whilst Finn executed the run-out of Kumar (1) in between the Durham man's wickets.
With just Yadav at the other end, Jadeja really threw his bat at everything and would've had England worried for a while as his big-hitting edged him closer to a century and his side towards victory.
Finn completed England's win, however, as he cleaned up India's innings and Jadeja's (87) stumps with less than two overs remaining.
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