IND vs ENG, 1st ODI: Rohit, Kohli form; pacer fitness under scanner ahead of Champions Trophy rehearsal

IND vs ENG, 1st ODI: Rohit, Kohli form; pacer fitness under scanner ahead of Champions Trophy rehearsal

A bunch of youngsters waited patiently outside the VCA Stadium on Wednesday afternoon to catch a glimpse of the Indian cricketers. As the team bus entered the ground, some of them chanted the names of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and waved the tri-colour, even as the team got into the training session.

With India playing its first home ODI series since the World Cup final in 2023, the excitement is palpable, and the three-match affair against England offers the team a chance to fine-tune before heading to Dubai for the Champions Trophy, scheduled to begin in the next couple of weeks.

After a dismal Test series against Australia in red-ball cricket, both Rohit and Kohli had forgettable outings in the Ranji Trophy as well, and ahead of a major tournament, the star batters will be expecting strong performances in a format they have ruled over several years.

After being among the leading run-getters in the 2023 World Cup, things went downhill for Kohli in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka in August, where he scored just 58 runs in three innings, while Rohit scored two fifties and amassed 157 runs, despite India losing the series.

And with the VCA Stadium putting out a fresh, hard surface for the series opener against England, it will be a perfect opportunity for both Rohit and Kohli to let their willow do the talking.

Their form, however, is not the only concern for India.

Questions remain over who among K.L. Rahul and Rishabh Pant would be the preferred choice as the wicketkeeper. 

In the 2023 World Cup, Rahul proved his mettle behind the stumps and with the bat, scoring 452 runs. And, as captain Rohit said, “it’s a good headache to have…”

“Both are quite capable of winning games on their own. It is a good headache to have whether to play KL or Rishabh. But obviously, looking at what we have done in the past, having that continuity is also very important for us. That is where we stand as a team with KL and Rishabh,” Rohit said, hinting at a possible inclusion for Rahul.

On the bowling front, with no clarity over the availability of Jasprit Bumrah for the ICC event, the focus is on the seasoned Mohammed Shami, who is set to don the ODI colours after more than a year. And, with the VCA Stadium surface likely to offer a bit of aid to the seamers early on before batters come into play, the team management would be keen on assessing Shami’s fitness and preparedness for the longer format, ahead of the Champions Trophy.

And, alongside Shami, it will be Arshdeep Singh, who has big shoes to fill in the absence of Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, and after a noteworthy T20I series against England last week, he will be keen to prove his mettle.

While in-form spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, who claimed 14 wickets in the T20Is, is expected to get a debut to strengthen his case for inclusion in the Champions Trophy squad, it will be interesting to see who makes way for him.

England, on the other hand, will be sticking to its ‘aggressive brand of cricket’ and with Joe Root back at No.3, the batting is set to be bolstered.

Given the fact that the side looked shaky against spin, Root’s experience in playing in such conditions will come in handy. However, the team management will be hoping for captain Jos Buttler and Harry Brook to fire. While Root’s spin could be effective, its bowling department will be spearheaded by pacers Mark Wood and Jofra Archer.

Despite losing the T20I series, the England camp is optimistic of a turnaround and when the two top teams square off after a while, they will have lots to play for.