By . Paul Newman for the Daily Mail . Follow @@Paul_NewmanDM . Glory be, England not only won a one-day match against India at Headingley on Friday but did so with a flair that had appeared beyond them after three thumping 50-over defeats. The series may have been lost but this was anything but a dead rubber for Alastair Cook and an England side who desperately needed a victory. England have not suddenly turned into World Cup contenders but their 41-run win in the final one-day international was proof, perhaps, that their methods can work in modern one-day cricket. Majestic: Joe Root inspired England to victory with a magnificent knock of 113 against India at Headingley . On song: Root scored at a quick pace and helped England set a competitive total at Headingley on Friday . Respite: England captain Alastair Cook has come under pressure to resign but managed to record a win . Quick-fire: England batsman Joe Root scored a rapid 49 to help England post a score of 294-7 at Headingley . Impressive: England's Ben Stokes (second right) took three wickets to help bowl India out at Headingley . Resistance: Ravindra Jadeja added runs to India's total at the end but he quickly ran out of batting partners . Cook said: ‘It’s frustrating. If we play like that we’ll win a lot more games. We haven’t had the wrong tactics, we’ve had guys not doing their jobs very well in the last three games. They did them well today. ‘The bottom line is we’ve lost another series and there are more questions than answers but I’d rather win the World Cup than this series. We’ve got a great opportunity to work at our one-day game and the improvement we can make is scary. That’s what we’ve got to get our heads round now.’ India’s attitude could be summed up by the sight of them taking delivery of a McDonald’s takeaway during Thusday’s practice session. Whether England were dining on quinoa and mung beans instead is unclear but they certainly looked fitter and, yes, more dynamic yesterday. Cook was timing the ball better than at almost any other time this summer on a cracking Headingley pitch. He lost Alex Hales, and Moeen Ali, promoted to three on the back of his display at Edgbaston but caught at third man here. It was when Joe Root joined Cook that England really began to produce the one-day batting needed to take the attack to India. Cook, leading England in a record 63rd one-day international, failed to make the most of another good start and when Eoin Morgan struggled it appeared that spin would again undo England. Morgan’s form remains one of England’s biggest worries moving towards the World Cup and it was almost a relief when he was out. Root was in sensational Test form all summer and it now looks as though he would take over the one-day captaincy should the selectors decide that a new leader is needed before February’s World Cup. Frustration: India captain MS Dhoni trudges off the field after losing his wicket at Headingley on Friday . All smiles: Steven Finn (right) bowled well as England kept the pressure on India and took wickets regularly . Half-century: Ambati Rayudu (right) scored 53 to try and push India to victory but they lost wickets regularly . Together: England captain Alastair Cook (centre) gives a team talk during the ODI match at Headingley . The odds favour Cook staying but Root is emerging as the captain-elect in all forms of the game. He again looked a class act here in leading England to a competitive total. Jos Buttler is another who has not been at his best in this series but he was the catalyst for England’s eventual riches of 294 for seven by loosening India’s spin stranglehold. As Root and Buttler attacked, India’s bowlers started to lose their immaculate line and length and the runs flowed. The pair added 107 for the fifth wicket in 14 overs before Buttler sloppily ran himself out. Luckily, Ben Stokes — in chronic international batting form almost ever since his breakthrough hundred in Perth — also threw off the shackles to support Root. Yorkshireman Root went to his second one-day international century with the second of three sixes but did not see the job through. He handed Mohammed Shami the first of his two wickets before Stokes took the initiative with an unbeaten 33 off 23 balls with two sixes of his own. It left India with a chase well within their compass but once Jimmy Anderson removed Ajinkya Rahane with the third ball of the innings to take his first wicket of the series they always looked like coming off second best. While MS Dhoni was there India had hope but when he toe-ended a wide delivery from Steven Finn to cover the game was up, even though Ravindra Jadeja’s 87 made sure India went down with all guns blazing. The series was lost 3-1 but it is a start for England. Meanwhile, Tim Bresnan has been ruled out of England’s Twenty20 match against India at Edgbaston on Sundaywith a shoulder injury.
Joe Root scored magnificent 113 to give England total of 294-7 .
Root first Yorkshireman to score Test and ODI centuries at Headingley .
Jos Buttler also helped England to total with quick-fire 49 at Headingley .
India bowled out for 253 despite Ravindra Jadeja's (87) resistance .
Ambati Rayudu (53) top-scored for India but tourists lost wickets regularly .
Moeen Ali, Steven Finn and James Anderson take two wickets apiece .
Ben Stokes the pick of England's bowlers, taking three Indian wickets .
India had already won series before match and it finishes 3-1 to tourists .
By . Paul Newman for the Daily Mail . Follow @@Paul_NewmanDM . Glory be, England not only won a one-day match against India at Headingley on Friday but did so with a flair that had appeared beyond them after three thumping 50-over defeats. The series may have been lost but this was anything but a dead rubber for Alastair Cook and an England side who desperately needed a victory. England have not suddenly turned into World Cup contenders but their 41-run win in the final one-day international was proof, perhaps, that their methods can work in modern one-day cricket. Majestic: Joe Root inspired England to victory with a magnificent knock of 113 against India at Headingley . On song: Root scored at a quick pace and helped England set a competitive total at Headingley on Friday . Respite: England captain Alastair Cook has come under pressure to resign but managed to record a win . Quick-fire: England batsman Joe Root scored a rapid 49 to help England post a score of 294-7 at Headingley . Impressive: England's Ben Stokes (second right) took three wickets to help bowl India out at Headingley . Resistance: Ravindra Jadeja added runs to India's total at the end but he quickly ran out of batting partners . Cook said: ‘It’s frustrating. If we play like that we’ll win a lot more games. We haven’t had the wrong tactics, we’ve had guys not doing their jobs very well in the last three games. They did them well today. ‘The bottom line is we’ve lost another series and there are more questions than answers but I’d rather win the World Cup than this series. We’ve got a great opportunity to work at our one-day game and the improvement we can make is scary. That’s what we’ve got to get our heads round now.’ India’s attitude could be summed up by the sight of them taking delivery of a McDonald’s takeaway during Thusday’s practice session. Whether England were dining on quinoa and mung beans instead is unclear but they certainly looked fitter and, yes, more dynamic yesterday. Cook was timing the ball better than at almost any other time this summer on a cracking Headingley pitch. He lost Alex Hales, and Moeen Ali, promoted to three on the back of his display at Edgbaston but caught at third man here. It was when Joe Root joined Cook that England really began to produce the one-day batting needed to take the attack to India. Cook, leading England in a record 63rd one-day international, failed to make the most of another good start and when Eoin Morgan struggled it appeared that spin would again undo England. Morgan’s form remains one of England’s biggest worries moving towards the World Cup and it was almost a relief when he was out. Root was in sensational Test form all summer and it now looks as though he would take over the one-day captaincy should the selectors decide that a new leader is needed before February’s World Cup. Frustration: India captain MS Dhoni trudges off the field after losing his wicket at Headingley on Friday . All smiles: Steven Finn (right) bowled well as England kept the pressure on India and took wickets regularly . Half-century: Ambati Rayudu (right) scored 53 to try and push India to victory but they lost wickets regularly . Together: England captain Alastair Cook (centre) gives a team talk during the ODI match at Headingley . The odds favour Cook staying but Root is emerging as the captain-elect in all forms of the game. He again looked a class act here in leading England to a competitive total. Jos Buttler is another who has not been at his best in this series but he was the catalyst for England’s eventual riches of 294 for seven by loosening India’s spin stranglehold. As Root and Buttler attacked, India’s bowlers started to lose their immaculate line and length and the runs flowed. The pair added 107 for the fifth wicket in 14 overs before Buttler sloppily ran himself out. Luckily, Ben Stokes — in chronic international batting form almost ever since his breakthrough hundred in Perth — also threw off the shackles to support Root. Yorkshireman Root went to his second one-day international century with the second of three sixes but did not see the job through. He handed Mohammed Shami the first of his two wickets before Stokes took the initiative with an unbeaten 33 off 23 balls with two sixes of his own. It left India with a chase well within their compass but once Jimmy Anderson removed Ajinkya Rahane with the third ball of the innings to take his first wicket of the series they always looked like coming off second best. While MS Dhoni was there India had hope but when he toe-ended a wide delivery from Steven Finn to cover the game was up, even though Ravindra Jadeja’s 87 made sure India went down with all guns blazing. The series was lost 3-1 but it is a start for England. Meanwhile, Tim Bresnan has been ruled out of England’s Twenty20 match against India at Edgbaston on Sundaywith a shoulder injury.
with a magnificent knock of 113 against India at and helped England set a competitive total at batsman Joe Root scored a rapid 49 to help England post a score of 294-7 at Headingley . Impressive: England's Ben Stokes (second right) took three wickets to help bowl India out at Headingley on Friday . All smiles: Steven Finn on India and took wickets regularly . Half-century: Ambati Rayudu (right) scored 53 to the ODI match at Headingley . The odds favour competitive total. Jos Buttler is another who has first of his two wickets before Stokes took the Jadeja’s 87 made sure India went down with all guns blazing. The series was lost 3-1 but it is a