Cuttack, Feb 8: India’s hopes of securing a series win against England in the second ODI on Sunday are hindered by the ongoing struggles of skipper Rohit Sharma and the dilemma surrounding the potential return of Virat Kohli.
After a four-wicket victory in Nagpur that gave India a 1-0 series lead, concerns arose about Kohli’s fitness, as he was rested due to a “sore right knee” ahead of the Champions Trophy later this month.
Nonetheless, vice-captain Shubman Gill hinted that Kohli might be fit to play in the second match, which takes place in a location where Kohli has previously scored a match-winning 85 against the West Indies in 2019.
Kohli traveled to Cuttack with the team and appeared relaxed, a positive sign for the Indian squad, but it also complicates team selection.
Who will Kohli replace?
Shreyas Iyer, who stepped in for Kohli at the last moment, made an impressive 59 runs off just 36 balls, making it difficult to consider dropping him. Historically, Kohli would likely take Iyer’s spot, but Yashasvi Jaiswal may be the one at risk instead, especially since he didn’t perform particularly well in the last match.
It’s anticipated that Gill will partner Rohit at the top of the order, with Jaiswal likely facing the chop. The decision-making process of the team management, led by Gautam Gambhir, will be interesting to observe, particularly given their preference for left-right combinations.
Beyond selection issues, Kohli is under pressure to find his form and will need a strong performance if he returns to the lineup. His recent struggles, notably in Australia, have led to increased scrutiny over his batting, with a lackluster score of just six runs in his last competitive outing for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy.
However, ODIs have historically been Kohli’s strong suit, and at 36 years old, he requires just 94 runs to become the third player in history to reach 14,000 ODI runs, following Sachin Tendulkar (18,426) and Kumar Sangakkara (14,234). He also stands on the verge of becoming the fastest to achieve this milestone, potentially beating Tendulkar’s record of 350 innings.
Rohit’s challenges
Rohit Sharma’s own struggle continued in the first ODI, where he scored just two runs, carrying forward his disappointing form from the Test series against Australia. His dismissal—a mis-timed shot—underscored his urgent need to score runs. Since August last year, when he scored 64 against Sri Lanka, he has yet to achieve a fifty across all formats. Should he continue to falter in this series against England, it may prompt serious discussions about his future in the game.
Bowling stability
On a more positive note, India’s bowling lineup appears stable, with Mohammed Shami easing back into form following his return to international cricket. After starting with a maiden over, Shami performed well in the middle overs, finishing with figures of 1/38 from eight overs. Debutant Harshit Rana faced challenges early on but made critical breakthroughs by dismissing both Ben Duckett and Harry Brook in the same over, helping to shift momentum toward India. With fitness concerns over star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Rana may have an opportunity to further earn his place in the squad.
Crucial match for England
For England, under the leadership of Jos Buttler, this match serves as a critical turning point, as they may need to adopt a more thoughtful approach to their traditionally aggressive batting style. Their success will largely hinge on how well they are able to counter India’s quality spin attack on a pitch that may provide them with some assistance.
Teams (from)
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (v-c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Varun Chakaravarthy.
England: Jos Buttler (c), Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Philip Salt, Jamie Smith, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, and Mark Wood.
The match is set to begin at 1:30 PM IST. (AGENCIES)
