Virat Kohli will miss the opening ODI of the three-match series between India and England in Nagpur on Thursday due to a knee issue.
India, fresh off a dominant 4-1 victory in the T20I series, was looking to carry momentum into the ODI series as part of their preparations for the upcoming Champions Trophy. However, fans will be disappointed as Kohli will not feature in the first game due to a sore right knee.
India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, confirmed the news during the toss, explaining, “We wanted to bowl first, but it doesn’t matter a lot. We need to be aggressive with the ball from the start and then maintain that intensity later. It’s a fresh start, a great opportunity to perform. It’s important to get some game time and make the most of it. Unfortunately, Virat (Kohli) isn’t playing due to a knee problem he developed last night. Also, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Harshit Rana are making their debuts.”
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also issued a statement confirming the update, saying, “Virat Kohli was unavailable for selection for the 1st ODI due to a sore right knee.”
Kohli was seen walking gingerly with strapping around his right knee during the practice session ahead of the match, raising concerns about his fitness.
Despite some recent struggles in Tests, Kohli’s reputation in limited-overs cricket remains undisputed. Since the start of 2023, he has accumulated 1,435 runs in 30 ODIs at an impressive average of 65.22, including six centuries and eight fifties. His highest score in this period is an unbeaten 166*, and his strike rate stands at 98.42. Kohli also played a pivotal role in India’s 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup campaign, amassing 765 runs in 11 matches at an average of 95.62, which earned him the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award.
The Indian team will hope to make up for Kohli’s absence with the debutants and other key players stepping up in the series opener.
England (Playing XI): Ben Duckett, Philip Salt (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami.