Second ODI: Kohli set for comeback as India look to wrap series in Cuttack

A 1-0 lead in a three-match series is the perfect cushion that India enjoy as they take on England in the second ODI in Cuttack on Sunday, but there would still be a few creases in Gautam Gambhir’s forehead. Yes, one is talking about Virat Kohli’s availability as it’s not often that he has missed a match due to a niggle in a long career while captain Rohit Sharma’s form also remains a point of concern.

The Indian team management did not want to take any chances with Kohli in Nagpur after he complained of a sore knee, though vice-captain Shubman Gill indicated that the master batter could be back for the second game. There are just two more games for the Big Two before their first fixture in ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai on 20 February and both will be anxious to spend a longer period in the middle before that.

Kohli, who looked relaxed as he travelled with the team to the eastern India venue, has happy memories of the Barabati Stadium as he had raked up a matchwinning innings of 85 against the West Indies there in 2019. However, that was nearly six years back when the former India captain could do no wrong in the white ball game - but he needs to be watchful with his shot selection against a potent new ball attack led by Joffra Archer.

There is a major ODI landmark round the corner for Kohli, who is now 94 runs short to be only the third batter to reach 14,000 runs after Sachin Tendulkar (18,426 runs) and Kumar Sangakkara (14, 234). Kohli is also a certainty to be the fastest to do so as he has featured in 283 innings so far compared to Tendulkar’s 350 innings and Sanga’s 378.    

However, it’s time for personal landmarks to take a backseat – at a time when someone like Shreyas Iyer has to keep proving himself despite being a source of strength at No.5 during the 2023 World Cup or a resurgent Karun Nair fails to make the cut despite a superhuman form in Vijay Hazare Trophy.

The situation is no less thorny for Rohit, who got dismissed cheaply by playing a nothing shot against Liam Livingstone in Nagpur. The desperation to end the barren run is now showing in the Indian captain, whose only Ranji outing against Jammu & Kahsmir also yielded poor returns. The fact that the Hitman’s last fifty in ODIs came with a 64 against Sri Lanka in Colombo last August tells it’s own story.      

Whom will Kohli replace? 

There could be a selection conundrum if Kohli comes in – it’s most likely that Yashasvi Jaiswal may have to make way for him. This could mean a slight rejig of the batting order with Rohit and Gill, India’s opening pair in the last 50-overs World Cup, coming back together and Kohli back at No.3.

The bowling line-up looks settled for now with Mohammed Shami showing signs of getting back into rhythm on his comeback while debutant Harshit Rana making amends after a poor start. However, it could well be Ravindra Jadeja & Co calling the shots on what has been historically a sluggish turf.

 Catch the Match

 India vs England

Second ODI, Cuttack

Start: 1.30 pm