1st ODI: Kohli Misses Match Due to Knee Injury as England Opts to Bat First
Click to start listening
Synopsis
In the first ODI, Virat Kohli missed the match due to a right knee injury. England won the toss and chose to bat first at the VCA Stadium. India included debutants Yashasvi Jaiswal and Harshit Rana in the lineup, while England welcomed back Joe Root. Captains Rohit Sharma and Jos Buttler provided insights on their strategies.
Key Takeaways
- Virat Kohli ruled out due to knee injury.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal and Harshit Rana make their debuts.
- England chose to bat first after winning the toss.
- Joe Root returns to strengthen the squad.
- Both teams prepare for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Nagpur, Feb 6 (NationPress) Virat Kohli was sidelined due to a right knee injury as England won the toss and opted to bat first in the inaugural ODI of the three-match series against India at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium here on Thursday.
With Kohli unavailable, India awarded debut caps to opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and pace-bowling allrounder Harshit Rana. Jaiswal received his first cap from head coach Gautam Gambhir, while senior pacer Mohammed Shami presented Harshit Rana's cap.
At the toss, India captain Rohit Sharma revealed that Kohli had sustained an injury to his right knee during practice on Wednesday evening, leading to his withdrawal from the first ODI. This is a significant blow for India, as the team management had hoped their most seasoned batsman would participate in all three ODIs ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy.
England captain Jos Buttler stated that experienced batsman Joe Root rejoined the ODI squad following their disappointing performance in the T20I series. England also chose to include three pacers.
“We’ll bat first. It’s fantastic to have Joe Root back—his experience strengthens our side. Our team morale is high, and we’re eager for the challenge ahead. Facing India in these conditions is a formidable test, but it serves as the perfect preparation for the Champions Trophy. We’ve opted for three seamers today and are ready for the contest,” Buttler stated.
Rohit Sharma indicated that he would have chosen to bowl first if he had won the toss. “We would have bowled first, but regardless of the toss, it’s about executing our plans. Now that we’re bowling first, our goal is to start aggressively and set the tone early. It feels good to be back after a break; it's time to reflect and refocus,” he added.
Rohit emphasized that this series presents a great chance for them to gain valuable match practice before the Champions Trophy. “This series is an excellent opportunity to refine our game ahead of the Champions Trophy, especially since we haven’t played much ODI cricket since the World Cup. Jaiswal and Harshit are making their debuts today, which is thrilling. Regrettably, Virat is out due to a knee injury. We’re fielding five batsmen, three all-rounders, one spinner, and two seamers,” Rohit explained.
Playing XIs:
India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami
England: Ben Duckett, Phil Salt (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (capt), Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood.
