Veteran India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has said that the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the ODI series against England will inject much-needed composure into an Indian dressing room still processing a 4-0 T20I series defeat. Speaking on 16 July, Pujara argued that the senior duo's experience of performing against England across all three formats is precisely what a relatively inexperienced batting group requires to bounce back in the 50-over format.

Where the T20I Batting Unit Fell Short

India's young batting line-up came under sharp scrutiny during the T20Is, with several batters visibly troubled by England's pace attack, particularly the short ball. Pujara traced the root cause to a structural gap rather than a technical one alone. 'If you look at this Indian batting group, they had IPL experience but very little white-ball experience in English conditions,' he said.

He elaborated that succeeding in England demands a specific scoring toolkit that differs markedly from what works on flat, batting-friendly surfaces elsewhere. 'In England, you can't rely only on six-hitting. You need to play more flat-batted shots, access straight boundaries and use options like the upper cut and cuts over point against the short ball. We didn't see enough of those shots, and I think that was largely down to a lack of experience in these conditions,' Pujara noted.

The Pitch and Balance Debate in T20 Cricket

Pujara also broadened the conversation to the structural balance between bat and ball in the shortest format, arguing that pitches must offer bowlers meaningful assistance to keep contests competitive. 'Even in the IPL, you don't want matches where teams can easily chase 260. There has to be something for the bowlers,' he said.

He pointed to the growing power and innovation among modern batters as a reason why pitch conditions matter more than ever. 'In T20 cricket, the margin for error is already very small, especially on flat pitches with short boundaries, while batters continue to get stronger and more innovative. That's why it's important to have pitches that offer bowlers a little assistance, whether through some turn or a bit of movement in the first two or three overs,' Pujara added.

What Rohit and Kohli Bring to the ODI Camp

Looking ahead at the ongoing ODI series, Pujara was clear that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's value extends well beyond their individual run-scoring. 'What Rohit and Virat will bring is calmness and confidence, and that only comes with experience. The T20I squad lacked experience, so having players who have consistently performed against England across Tests, ODIs and T20Is will give the dressing room belief because they know how to win,' he said.

Pujara acknowledged that the 4-0 series defeat has placed the team under pressure, and that England will look to exploit the same vulnerabilities. Yet he remained optimistic. 'The confidence Rohit and Virat bring can rub off on the rest of the squad. They have also had time to prepare before the ODI series, and that preparation should help them perform well. I hope they have a strong series,' he added.

What to Watch in the ODI Series

With England having clearly identified areas to target, India's batting approach against pace in English conditions will be the central storyline of the ODI campaign. The degree to which the senior returnees can transfer their composure to younger colleagues — and whether the squad adapts its shot selection — will determine how quickly India can recover from the T20I setback.