The ace Indian batter Virat Kohli will return to the playing XI for the second ODI against England in Cuttack on Sunday. After missing the series opener in Nagpur with a sore right knee, Kohli hit nets on Saturday at the Barabati Stadium in Odisha, a section (of which) was open for the fans to visit for free. Though that strategy was hit, with a sea of Virat fans storming into the stands, Kohli’s net session indicated his return remains imminent.
Also read | India vs England 2025 2nd ODI, Cuttack: Match Preview and Result Prediction
With Virat set to return to the Indian Team for the first time since the SCG Test Down Under, someone has to make way for him.
Who would it be? Would India sit Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made his ODI debut in Nagpur, and instead make vice-captain Shubman Gill play at the top with the captain Rohit Shamra, or sit out Shreyas Iyer, who played a handy role in helping India draw first blood in the series.
Iyer returned to the Indian Team with a match-winning fifty in Nagpur, hitting 59 off 36 balls, including two sixes and nine fours. He upped the ante after India lost two early wickets, with both openers returning to the hut inside six overs. Alongside Gill, Iyer added a 94-run stand for the third wicket, putting India in line to complete the chase.
Though his dismissal saw Axar Patel coming ahead of KL Rahul, indicating the team’s strategy of working on the left-right combination, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak kept mum on who would sit out when Kohli returns to the playing XI.
“Virat Kohli is fit to play. He has come for practice and is good to go,” Sitanshu Kotak said during the pre-match media interaction.
“I think that’s what the head coach and captain can talk about. But yes, definitely a lefty-righty combination is there. But I would say that question is not something, which I would like to answer, to be very honest,” Kotak noted when asked who is most likely to sit out between Iyer and Jaiswal for the second ODI.
India’s combination –
India might stick to the same side, barring just one change – the inclusion of Virat Kohli.
Harshit Rana’s impressive ODI debut helps him keep his place in the XI, while ace seamer Mohammed Shami will continue to lead the pace attack. Kuldeep Yadav will be India’s lone specialist spinner, with two spin-bowling all-rounders of the same kind – Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel will retain their places.
(With inputs from agencies)