So that’s the last of the summer white-balls, at least in terms of internationals – plenty of T20s to come around the country if you feel like a Blast. England wobbled badly in the T20i series, started this one abysmally, and then bounced back in great style, led by Eoin Morgan and Joe Root, two captains for the price of one.

The last word goes to John Starbuck, writing half an hour ago. “Nobody has much to say about this game as England are going to win it and the series. There will be a bit of a ceremony after which we all forget about it until we reconvene for the proper stuff in August. It’ll be worth while seeing how many of the present sides make it to the long form but I doubt anyone has learned much, except perhaps that Stokes isn’t quite back to his best yet and MSD may be playing his last tour, so will India try another keeper? Hoping Anderson and Broad both are on the money. How much influence will the new selector Taylor have?” And will England recall Moeen Ali, who took 19 wickets against India last time they were here.

That’s it from us. Thanks for your company, your emails, tweets and terrible cover versions.

“I think outstanding,” is Eoin Morgan’s verdict on England’s performance. “David Willey and Mark Wood almost set the tone for the innings. We know the conditions here really well so we managed to take advantage of that. Probably a 300, 320 ground.” So, in his book, India were more than 30 short, though he doesn’t put it so bluntly.

“As a captain, you’re only as good as your team. I thought we got better as the series went on.” Especially at playing Kuldeep? “He set a completely different challenge for us and it’s satisfying that we went through our plans and executed what we wanted to do.” Asked about the World Cup, he points out that it’s still a year away. Well, nearly.

“I thought we were never on the mark,” Kohli says. “We were 25-30 short. England thoroughly deserved to win today.” He congratulates the England spinners on bowling as a partnership. He’s gracious in defeat, which, as Gareth Southgate observed the other day, is harder than being magnanimous in victory.

Player of the Series is, of course, Root. A massive turnaround for you, says Isa Guha. “It feels fantastic,” says Root. “Testament to the hard work the guys do…” He almost sounds like a Test captain. “Great to bat with Morgs, he’s so calm.” The pitch was on the slow side but pretty good. “It was just about making sure we built that partnership.” They put on 186, unbeaten. “Knowing it was a must-win game, being able to stand up to that pressure. It’s going to be a great [Test] series.”

Player of the Match is not Root, or Morgan, but Adil Rashid, who flummoxed Kohli and took two other wickets. Good choice. “Me and Mo, we kept it tight,” he says, going out of his way to share the credit with his mate. He’s not a natural public speaker, but he made the ball talk today.

Here’s my colleague Ali Martin, on Twitter. “Joe Root goes past Marcus Trescothick to become England’s all-0time hundrediest ODI cricketer.”

Also on Twitter is Ravi Nair. “Thanks Tim.” Well, thank you, Ravi. “It’s been.. no, epic is not the word… ummm.. nor emotional… let’s just settle for this: it’s been cricket. Of a sort.” Indeed it has.

It means that in their last nine bilateral series (or one-off matches), England’s ODI team have lost to only one foe: the mighty Scotland.

That was a strange match. England were excellent, but India allowed them to be, starting with their selection, which aimed to give fringe players a game, as if this was a meaningless group match, not a series decider. Kohli was up for it, but after Adil Rashid bowled him with a Shane Warne special, MS Dhoni seemed to give up the ghost, for the second match in a row.

Root doesn’t just have the most one-day hundreds among England’s big names: he also has by far the highest average, 51, when some other greats (KP, I’m talking about you) are in the low 40s. More than just a stat, that average is a tribute to Root’s ability to stay in while keeping the scoreboard ticking over. Saturday’s hundred has been retrospectively declared not-out, just like today’s. Morgan was excellent in both games too, and a series that could have been all about India’s spin twins ended up belonging to England’s two captains.

44th over: England 253-2 (Root 94, Morgan 88) Morgan is beaten by Thakur, who has shown perseverance, if not much else. He finishes with figures of 10-0-51-1, the only Indian bowler with a wicket.

43rd over: England 250-2 (Root 93, Morgan 87) Morgan is dropped off a slow full-toss from Pandya – a simple chance to Kumar at mid-on, not that it matters.

On Twitter, Ravi Nair is back for more. “Since you asked: Brexit is going as well as India are in this game.” True enough.

In my inbox, Ian Copestake has something more important to say. “What is Love Island?”

42nd over: England 244-2 (Root 91, Morgan 85) Root plays a handsome straight drive off Thakur. Perhaps he does fancy a hundred after all.

“Anything to say?” Alan Kirkup retorts [40th over]. “When’s the football on?” Fair comment.

41st over: England 239-2 (Root 86, Morgan 85) Kumar contines, and Morgan tries to keep everyone awake by attempting a big yahoo that produces only a Harrow cut. Root, in no such hurry, picks up a couple of singles. At this stage, India were 199-6.

40th over: England 236-2 (Root 84, Morgan 84) Only three off the over from Thakur. Has anyone got anything to say?

39th over: England 233-2 (Root 82, Morgan 83) Morgan sneaks ahead of Root, not that it will bother either of them. There’s unlikely to be time for a hundred, but they’ve both played well enough to deserve one. Only 24 needed now. Get them off one over!

38th over: England 229-2 (Root 81, Morgan 80) Root picks Kuldeep’s googly and plays it quite beautifully, opening the face to glide it for three, off middle and off. Morgan, sensing that Kuldeep might be feeling crestfallen, rubs it in with a six to long-on.

And here’s Tom Adam. “I am listening to TMS in the background (so sorry darling, it’s not you, it’s me) and the crowd sounds on the effects mikes are just as if we are playing away. So Root smacks a glorious boundary … and there is utter crowd silence. India go up for a dodgy LBW appeal … and the crowd bays for blood. I find this rather disconcerting. There’s something very odd about an English crowd watching England in England and cheering the opposition.” We’re not applying the Tebbit test, though, are we? Fans can cheer for whoever they want, and the vibrant support for India has been part of the fun of this series.

37th over: England 219-2 (Root 78, Morgan 73) Back comes Bhuvi Kumar, as Kohli fiddles with the stable door and the horse heads off into the distance. That’s drinks, with England needing only 38 off 13 overs, at a rate fractionally below three. I’m not sure they could mess this up if they were managed by Sam Allardyce.

And here’s Ian Copestake. “Can cricket be used to explain Brexit, or used to cure the divisions?” he wonders. “Do Brexiters despair watching English Indian fans at Headingley (and elsewhere)? I think I have answered my own questions. Carry on.”

36th over: England 213-2 (Root 75, Morgan 70) Another decent over from Kuldeep, but decency is not enough. It’s all over bar the presentation.

35th over: England 210-2 (Root 74, Morgan 69) Reprieved by the no-ball, Root celebrates with a lofted on-drive for four to leave Chahal nursing some wounded pride and figures of 10-0-41-0.

Mid-35th over: England 200-2 (Root 68, Morgan 69) Morgan thumps the first ball of Chahal’s last over for four to deep square, only to be beaten by a beauty that turns like something out of a song by Duckworth-Lewis. Then there’s a review for a stumping against Root…

34th over: England 196-2 (Root 68, Morgan 64) A better over from Kuldeep, who has answered the commentators’ plea and dropped his pace below 50. His series average, once in single figures, has ballooned to 15.

33rd over: England 193-2 (Root 67, Morgan 62) A few more singles off Chahal, who has kept the boundaries down, to just two off his nine overs, without providing the cutting edge that India were crying out for.

“Brexit metaphors?” snorts Ravi Nair. “Brexit is going as well as an eggless flourless cake being cooked by focussed sunlight in an Antarctic winter snowstorm.”

32nd over: England 188-2 (Root 65, Morgan 59) Kuldeep returns too, but he has gone from a magician to something manageable. England’s two captains take four off the over, which is now marginally more than they need.

An email entitled “Machines of doom” arrives. It’s Brian Withington. “Would that dastardly Fate-Tempt-o-Meter [27th over] share any design features with the Mockers-Max-o-Matic (patent pending)?” Ha.

31st over: England 184-2 (Root 62, Morgan 58) Chahal commands respect, as he has all afternoon, without finding the breakthrough. In the absence of a decent contest, we need a new topic of conversation. How do you feel Brexit is going, then?

30th over: England 181-2 (Root 60, Morgan 57) Morgan plays a pull for four off Thakur, who is then a touch unlucky as he persuades Root to edge a leg-glance and Dhoni misses a half-chance. That looks like that, but Kohli is trying spin again.

29th over: England 175-2 (Root 59, Morgan 52) Root drives Pandya, loosely but not dangerously, to third man, to bring up the hundred partnership off 119 balls. It’s the second game in a row that Morgan and Root have done that. Root is heading for Man of the Series, but Morgan would be just as good a choice, after that brave decision to bat first at Lord’s.

28th over: England 170-2 (Root 58, Morgan 50) Morgan, noticing that there’s no slip for poor old Thakur, plays a dinky deflection for four. A couple of singles later, he plays a more full-blooded shot outside off to reach fifty off 58 balls. Come on India, do something.

27th over: England 165-2 (Root 57, Morgan 43) Back comes Pandya, who doesn’t concede a boundary. The trouble is, it’s all about wickets now. Only a classic English collapse will do, and there’s no sign of one – at the risk of setting off what was known in the press box during the 2005 Ashes as the Fate-Tempt-o-meter.

26th over: England 159-2 (Root 55, Morgan 40) Thakur continues, for reasons I can’t explain, and Morgan helps himself to a cut that is more of a shredding.

And here’s Kimberley Thonger again. “Hugely impressed with John Starbucks’ filmic knowledge [19th over]. Have started plagiarism action against Lasse Halleström, the movie’s director, although due diligence suggests if he’s prepared to settle out of court he could be an excellent reserve wicketkeeper for the tour, and could make a fly on the igloo wall documentary to boot, thus immortalising the actual combatants.”

25th over: England 152-2 (Root 54, Morgan 35) Root, spotting Kuldeep’s length early again, takes a big confident stride and cover-drives for four to bring up yet another fifty, his 41st in 116 ODIs (including the 12 hundreds). Morgan, not to be outdone, whacks a straight four with a shot that’s straight off the hockey field, all eye and wrist and self-belief.

24th over: England 143-2 (Root 49, Morgan 31) Kohli, in desperation, goes back to seam in the form of Thakur. He concedes a few singles and when he tries a bouncer, it’s given as a wide, which rather sums up India’s day. They need to manufacture a wicket, by hook or by crook: then they’re down to Ben Stokes, who is well out of form.

23rd over: England 138-2 (Root 47, Morgan 29) Kuldeep returns, and after a couple of dots Root plays a classy sweep, all along the ground and fine enough to beat short fine leg.

“Afternoon Tim.” Afternoon, Nick Parish. “This is a slightly different riff – obviously this is a terrible cover but it firmly crosses over into ‘so bad it’s good’ territory. After all, who wouldn’t want to hear Lemmy singing about how hard it is to be a woman on this cover of Stand By Your Man?” Who indeed.

22nd over: England 134-2 (Root 43, Morgan 29) Chahal keeps it tight again. He’s conceded only 21 off seven overs, but he hasn’t been able to give Kohli the one thing he craves: a wicket.

21st over: England 131-2 (Root 41, Morgan 28) Morgan, facing Raina again, is like a man returning to the hotel buffet. He gives himself room outside off to play a lofted cover drive, and follows it up with something more orthodox, and just as clinical, in the same direction.

“Here’s the link,” says John Starbuck [previous over].

20th over: England 121-2 (Root 40, Morgan 19) A tidier over from Chahal, but it will take more than tidiness to turn this round.

19th over: England 119-2 (Root 39, Morgan 18) Kohli turns to his third spinner, Raina – the option Morgan didn’t go for with Root. Raina drops too short and after Root misses out, Morgan thumps him to the square-leg fence. That’s drinks, with England nearly half-way to a big win.

And John Starbuck is back for another spell. “If Kimberley Thonger [11th over] wants to know what a Nordic version of ‘I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts’ sounds like, he should check out the film My Life as a Dog (1985), where the Swedish version is the only record played.”

18th over: England 112-2 (Root 38, Morgan 12) Chahal half-deceives Morgan, twice, but fortune is favouring England after their bold start.

“Afternoon Tim.” Afternoon, Brian Withington, where on earth have you been? “Talking of Iceland and cover versions, you would need to travel a very long way indeed to find a better cover of anything than this collaboration between Todmobile and Jon Anderson. Like a Vince cover drive on a sunny afternoon – sublime.”

17th over: England 112-2 (Root 38, Morgan 12) More of the same. Kohli is trying to make something happen, but it’s just not working: the spin twins have none for 38 off eight overs.

16th over: England 108-2 (Root 35, Morgan 11) Root plays an uppish tuck, not unlike the one that did for Bairstow, but he evades the man at midwicket. He’s motoring along at a run a ball, right back in form.

15th over: England 103-2 (Root 31, Morgan 10) The Indians have been guilty of a few misfields and another one brings Root two overthrows, to turn a single into three. Morgan feels relaxed enough to pull out the reverse sweep, which brings another three, and that’s the hundred up, off 88 balls. England are well on top, but they still have a wobble in them.

14th over: England 96-2 (Root 27, Morgan 7) Root, using his feet like a dancer, spies a low full toss from Chahal and sweeps it for four. That’s five overs of spin that England have survived already, and they’ve taken 22 off them, which is all they need.

13th over: England 91-2 (Root 22, Morgan 7) Root is continuing with the masterclass in footwork that he began at Lord’s. He goes right forward to cover-drive Kuldeep for four, then right back to work him to midwicket’s right.

A tweet from Ravi Nair. “If we’re talking about cover versions of cricketers [8th over], then the grand daddy of them all is Sachin Tendulkar as the cover version of Sunil Gavaskar – The Little Master handing the baton over to the Little Master.” A rare case of the cover being even better than the original. Like Tainted Love.

12th over: England 85-2 (Root 17, Morgan 6) Chahal has another shout for LBW against Morgan, but his leg-break is doing a bit too much. But he gets a moral victory, and a row of five dots before Morgan pushes up to long-on.

11th over: England 84-2 (Root 17, Morgan 5) Kohli, spotting that England only need four and a half an over, goes for spin at both ends. Root seizes on a short one from Kuldeep, goes right back and somehow pulls it for four without hitting his wicket.

Meanwhile Kimberley Thonger is getting ever keen on the idea of an Icelandic tour. “Combining the Iceland and cover version themes, I vouchsafe the proposed touring side team song could be I’ve Got A Luvverly Bunch Of Coconuts in a Björk style, accompanied by Sigur Rós on the marimba.”

10th over: England 78-2 (Root 12, Morgan 4) Chahal’s first over has it all: the run-out, a strong shout for LBW as Morgan misses a big leg-break (off-break to him), and then a cracking four as Morgan latches onto a long hop. “Indian curry,” says a banner, “make England worry.”

9th over: England 74-1 (Vince 27, Root 12) Root pulls Thakur for an imperious four, then takes a single and tells Vince that Thakur has resorted to cutters. Kohli is so grumpy that he’s off the field, presumably discussing what the hell he can do next. It looks straightforward from here: either the Indian spinners rip through England, or the series is lost. It’s all down to Kuldeep and Chahal.

8th over: England 67-1 (Vince 26, Root 5) Vince at his Vinceyest, standing up straight and creaming an off-drive, before going back to whip to long leg. Kumar has now gone for eight fours off four overs, and to add insult to insult, Dhoni is standing up to him.

“My brain has been trying to take the intersection of cricket and cover versions to a new level,” says Peter Salmon, “by thinking about cricketers who are cover versions of earlier cricketers.” Nice. “For instance it seems that it is the law that you can’t talk about Josh Hazlewood without mentioning Glenn McGrath. When James Vince came into the side he was always shackled to Michael Vaughan. Abdul Qadir and Mushtaq Ahmed. Any others?”

7th over: England 57-1 (Vince 17, Root 5) Root at his Rootiest, going up on his toes to subject a perfectly respectable ball from Thakur to his back-foot caress for four. That brings the fifty up off 38 balls, and it’s followed by four leg byes as Dhoni adds a bit of incompetence to his intransigence. Has he lost it, do you think?

6th over: England 49-1 (Vince 17, Root 1) Joe Root nearly perishes to a comedy run-out – Vince’s revenge, perhaps, for being made to bat at three in Australia. Then Vince has a near-miss too, playing a Harrow cut for four. A better over from Kumar, who has changed ends in a bid to shake off the rust.

5th over: England 43-1 (Vince 12, Root 0) So Kohli was rushed into his first bowling change, but it worked, as Shardul Thakur nabbed the big wicket. Game on.

John Starbuck’s mention of possible tour of Iceland gets Kimberley Thonger going. “If there’s a requirement for a short portly military medium right arm over with Devon Malcolm tendencies in the batting department, I’m your man,” he says, irresistibly. “Available weekends until 18th December when I’m assisting SWMBO on a Hapsburg historical research venture in Segovia.”

4th over: England 38-0 (Vince 7, Bairstow 30) Two more fours for Bairstow, a whip through midwicket and a punch past cover. Then he rather spoils it with a quick single, before flicking past fine leg, to make seven fours off his last nine balls. He has raced to 30 off 12. Sensational stuff.

3rd over: England 23-0 (Vince 5, Bairstow 17) Kumar dishes up another long hop and Bairstow latches onto the cut as eagerly as Vince. The next ball is short again and straighter, so Bairstow pulls it for four. Then a full one, which goes past mid-off like a bullet, and a length ball, squirted to backward point. Four fours off the over. India didn’t do anything like that till the 49th.

Nasser mentions that India go better when Kohli is grumpy. “Where were you on the grumpy scale?” asks David Lloyd.

2nd over: England 7-0 (Vince 5, Bairstow 1) Hardik Pandya keeps it tight at the other end, allowing only a couple of snatched singles. Apologies in advance if my spellcheck calls him Panda, which it is itching to do. Are automated systems always inclined to be overzealous?

Meanwhile, here’s John Starbuck. “Just finished listening to TMS and the rise of kriket in Iceland (they don’t have a ‘c’ so that’s how they spell it). They are appealing for English teams to visit and play and promise some Viking-style drinking as part of the trip. As it’s the first time I’ve heard Egil’s Saga (Skallagrimson) mentioned outside a BBC4 history programme, and as they recount Egil’s feat of splitting the skull, with an axe, of a fielder who held the catch, I was wondering if the OBOccasionals would take a look at it? I always wanted to join them but circumstances don’t allow.”

1st over: England 5-0 (Vince 4, Bairstow 0) The first ball is a battle of the rusty titans – James Vince, recalled from a spell in the wilderness, facing Bhuvneshwar Kumar, returning from injury. Kumar serves up a loosener on a silver salver and Vince slaps it for four past cover. He’s such a talent, and it was such a bad idea to make him England’s No 3 for the Ashes.

A couple more contenders. “Kenny G does James Blunt,” says Henry Scowcroft. “Yes really. I’m so terribly, terribly sorry.” So sorry, in fact, that he sends the email twice, just to make sure. And finally, one from Scott Probst: “This is peculiar to Australia, but if you haven’t see Pseudo Echo covering Funky Town … don’t!”

Just when I’m thinking, is anyone intrigued by this cricket match or is it just me, here’s Andrew Benton. “Thinking of covers, what’s the longest time they’ve not come on in international games during a season in England? It’s been pretty dry recently, any new records set?” Good question. The summer of ’76 was pretty Saharan.

The criminal covers just keep on coming. “Sorry if I’m late on this,” says Peter Salmon, “but given it’s a run chase in a day-nighter, can’t go past a bit of Celine Dion and Anastacia keeping it real with You Shook Me All Night Long.”

“William Shatner,” argues Julien Lesage, “is the master of the downright weird cover. Here’s his version of Rocket Man. Once seen, never forgotten.”

Chris Whiffin’s not happy with my colleague Daniel. “I think you are a little harsh on the Killers. Their cover is nowhere near as bad as Madonna’s hat trick of shame – American Pie, Don’t Cry for Me Argentina and Imagine; the last of which isn’t even redeemed by the fact it was for a good cause.”

A question from Smylers. “Dawid Malan was released from the England squad for this match, meaning he still hasn’t played in an ODI. He has played in both test matches and 20-over games for England. Are any other cricketers in the curious position of having represented England in the longest and shortest forms of the game, but not the one in between?”

Afternoon everyone and thanks to Daniel, who has set a daunting the standard with those awful cover versions. Intriguing scenario we’ve got here. England bowled well, especially the new-ball pair and Adil Rashid (get him in the Test team, Ed). And MS Dhoni again batted like a beginner, not the wily old pro he is.

That said, 256 is no disaster for India, whose demon wristies, Kuldeep and Chahal, could be even more lethal than Rashid on a tricky, turning track. England’s top order, usually so settled, is missing two of its biffers, Roy and Hales. My hunch is that England will either cruise to victory or collapse in a heap. What do you reckon?

While you wait:

Related: Women’s Super League kicks off … before all six teams are kicked out | Tanya Aldred

It’s also fair to say that Wood and Willey were excellent too. And England, though they don’t have Kohli, bat far deeper than India, rarely cleared out for fewer than they need to win this. Anyway, that’s me – Tim de Lisle will be here presently to call them hame.

50th over: India 256-7 (Kumar 21, Thakur 22) Willey with the ball; Thakur goes down the ground first up and the batsmen collide as they sprint a single, then four more singles follow. This is a good over, everything the last wasn’t.

49th over: India 251-7 (Kumar 19, Thakur 20) There’ve only been three boundaries in the last 11 overs, which is a brilliant effort from England, who bring Ben Stokes back here. His run out of Dhawan changed the flow of this innings, but look at that! He goes length and slower, but it’s straight and Thakur picks it up beautifully, taking six over square leg. So Thakur goes again, this tie to long on, and Plunkett’s there, diving full-length to hold screamer … except he’s got to toss it back because he’s headed over the fence. Still, he’s saved four because they run two, great work, and a bumper dot comes next. Thakur then forces into his pads and feet, scrambling two more in the process, and then look at that! Stokes bangs in, Shardul swivels hard, takes the ball with him, and that’s six more! This has not gone well for Stokes, who’s doubtless relieved when its final delivery yields just a leg bye, and with 17 coming there, India now have a sniff.

48th over: India 234-7 (Kumar 19, Thakur 2) Nice from Kumar, who steps to off and plays a lovely ramp for four. Two more follow, flipped to leg and sprinted, then three singles. Even if India managed 36 off each of the final two overs, England would fancy their chances of winning here.

47th over: India 224-7 (Kumar 11, Thakur 1) Wood will fancy himself to clean this up and goes through his tricksm, boomp-ah, boomp-ah, slow-ah ball. He finishes with 1-30 from his allocation, a fine performance – he set the tone with the new Mercury.

46th over: India 222-7 (Kumar 9, Thakur 1) Thakur plays to leg, they run like billy-o, and Willey misses with his shy.

46th over: India 221-6 (Dhoni 43, Kumar 9) They’re going. Dhoni gets a single, then Bhuvi flays but can only slice to long on, picking out the man, and they run one. Another single apiece, and then…

“Check this out,” emails Ravi Raman. “Or as I call it ‘how to pull off murder on an unsuspecting audience.’ (Despite what it says in the title it’s not from India but Pakistan).”

Oh man.

45th over: India 217-6 (Dhoni 41, Kumar 7) Dhoni cuts Wood, but Stokes is on the 45 and a dive saves four. a leg bye follows, then Kumar golf-swings at one and gets most of it, but picks out the sweeper at cover and they add just one. Even if India get 10 an over from here, England will fancy themselves strongly in the chase.

44th over: India 212-6 (Dhoni 37, Kumar 7) Single to Kumar, forced off his hip, and then Dhoni pulls four to backward square. One more follows, and we’re getting to a point; we might just be there now.

“Consider yourself furnished,” tweets J Peterman. I’m sure they’ve got some clue this is awful – it’s the obliviousness that’s so awesome in the Liam and Killers one. But yes, this is very very bad.

43rd over: India 208-6 (Dhoni 34, Kumar 6) Kumar gets off strike second ball but still Dhoni doesn’t go – in commentary, Sangakkara reckons he needs to be there til the 45th or 46th before he gets going properly. Still, when Wood gives him one to go at, a crap bouncer basically, he fetches it from outside off to pull for four and then whacks two into the covers.

“You did ask,” says Wayne Stubbs. ‘David Bowie’s “Starman” covered b