India’s ongoing concern regarding skipper Rohit Sharma’s consistent struggles at the crease continues to haunt the team as they prepare for the second ODI against England in Cuttack this Sunday. The potential return of Virat Kohli, however, raises a selection dilemma that needs addressing as India aims to secure the series.

Following their four-wicket victory in Nagpur, India holds a 1-0 lead, but Kohli’s absence due to knee soreness has sparked worries about his fitness ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to begin on February 19.

Vice-captain Shubman Gill hinted that Kohli could return for the second ODI, and Kohli himself has been seen traveling with the team to Cuttack, appearing relaxed.

The 36-year-old batter’s return would undoubtedly enhance the team’s prospects as they head into the Champions Trophy, but it complicates selection decisions. Shreyas Iyer, who stepped in for Kohli at the last moment, made a remarkable 59 runs off just 36 balls, making his exclusion nearly impossible.

Based on his performance in the first ODI, it seems Kohli might replace Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had a disappointing debut. This would see Gill likely partnering Rohit at the top of the order, with Kohli moving into the one-down position.

Moreover, Kohli himself needs to regain his form, and a strong performance is crucial for him if he returns. His recent struggles in Australia, where he frequently edged balls to the slips, have led to increasing scrutiny of his performance.

In his last competitive match for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy, Kohli scored only six runs before being bowled by Railways pacer Himanshu Sangwan.

Despite these challenges, Kohli has historically been formidable in ODIs. He requires just 94 runs to become the third player to reach 14,000 runs in the format, following Sachin Tendulkar (18,426) and Kumar Sangakkara (14,234). Kohli has played 283 ODI innings, and if he reaches the milestone, he will do so faster than Tendulkar (350 innings) and Sangakkara (378).

The Indian bowling lineup appears stable, with Mohammed Shami gradually regaining his rhythm after a year-long injury absence. He started with a maiden over in Nagpur and later controlled the middle overs, finishing with figures of 1/38 from eight overs.

Debutant Harshit Rana faced difficulties early on against Phil Salt, making him the most expensive bowler in Nagpur. However, he made significant contributions by taking crucial wickets of Ben Duckett and Harry Brook in one over, shifting the momentum in favor of India. With concerns surrounding Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness, Rana has a chance to solidify his position with another strong performance.

England, on the other hand, will need to adjust their overly aggressive batting strategy in order to stay competitive in the series. It will be essential for the English batsmen to effectively counter the Indian spinners, who have been a consistent source of trouble for them throughout their tour of India this year.

Teams:

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Varun Chakaravarthy.

England: Jos Buttler (c), Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Philip Salt, Jamie Smith, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, and Mark Wood.