Jos Buttler announced his return to form spectacularly, smashing an unbeaten 41 off just 13 balls as England piled up a mammoth 387-3 against India in the third and final ODI at Lord's on Sunday. The captain's late fireworks, combined with Ben Duckett's majestic hundred and Joe Root's classy fifty, powered the hosts to the highest ODI total ever recorded at the iconic venue.

After captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to bat, England openers Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell got the innings off to a flying start. The duo shared a record-breaking 192-run partnership, the highest opening stand for England against India in ODIs. Duckett was the aggressor, anchoring the innings with a sensational 141 off 135 deliveries, while Bethell provided excellent support with a fluent 91 off 94 balls.

Even after the opening stand was broken, England showed no signs of slowing down. Joe Root continued his golden run with a classy 74 off just 48 balls, finding boundaries with effortless precision. But it was Buttler who provided the finishing touches, unleashing a brutal assault in the final overs. The wicketkeeper-batter hammered four fours and three sixes, helping England plunder 82 runs off their last five overs.

India, missing pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah due to reactive swelling in his left knee, struggled to contain the English batting onslaught. Prasidh Krishna picked up two wickets and Prince Yadav claimed one, but none of the bowlers could keep their economy rate below six runs per over. Young seamer Gurnoor Brar endured a nightmare outing, conceding 97 runs in his 10 overs, the most expensive figures in any ODI at Lord's, surpassing Karsan Ghavri's record of 81 runs from 1975.

England's total of 387-3 sets India a daunting target of 388, a chase that history suggests will be extremely difficult. Each of the last five ODIs at Lord's has been won by the team batting first, and the surface is offering enough assistance for the seamers to make life tough for the visitors.

For Buttler, this innings was particularly significant. After enduring a lean patch in T20Is earlier in the summer, he has now found his rhythm at exactly the right time. His 13-ball blitz not only powered England to a record total but also sent a strong message ahead of the series finale.

India's bowlers will need to produce something extraordinary to defend their pride, while England will back themselves to defend their imposing total and clinch their first bilateral ODI series win against India since 2018.