India looks for balance: Spotlight on Rohit, Kohli against England in first ODI

NAGPUR: Form and fitness of seasoned stars is under the scanner as India enters the final phase of its Champions Trophy preparations with the three-match ODI series against England starting here on Thursday, aiming to find the right balance for some specific slots in the line-up.

The likes of skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been under tremendous scrutiny after their dismal run in red-ball cricket.

The two stars, after making hyped but disappointing appearances in Ranji Trophy last month, will be eyeing strong performances in a format that they have dominated for several years.

They were the top two run-getters of the 2023 World Cup with Kohli scoring 765 and Rohit smashing 597.

Since that World Cup, the two have only featured in a three-match ODI series loss to Sri Lanka where Rohit scored two fifties while Kohli didn’t have a great run.

However, their form is not the solitary concern for the outfit.

One of the grey areas is the wicket-keeper's slot. Who among KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant should get the nod for the playing XI?

With skipper Rohit and his deputy Shubman Gill likely to open, followed by Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya, the wicketkeeper-batter is likely to slot in at number five.

Rahul, who kept wickets in Pant’s absence during the 2023 World Cup, performed admirably, scoring 452 runs and proving to be one of India’s most consistent middle-order batters.

His stability has been instrumental in creating a formidable ODI set-up, but his strike rotation in the middle overs remains a concern.

On the other hand, the left-handed Pant offers variety in India’s right-hand dominated top order. Additionally, his unpredictability, raw power, and ability to clear with breathtaking ease make him the X-factor.

The Indian think tank could always go with both but that would likely come at the expense of Iyer, who despite under-performing in the Sri Lanka series, has been a prolific contributor.

The series will also test the preparedness of veteran pacer Mohammed Shami and wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, both of whom had been laid low by injuries and could be key to India’s success in the Champions Trophy.

While Shami played two T20s against England in the recently-concluded series, Kuldeep hasn’t donned the India colours since the first Test against New Zealand in October.

In-form mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy is expected to get a debut to strengthen his case for inclusion in the Champions Trophy squad.

He troubled the England batters in the T20Is after bamboozling Bangladesh in another home series last October.

The team management also has to make a tough choice for the spin all-rounder's position. Ravindra Jadeja, who hasn’t played an ODI since the 2023 ODI World Cup final, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are all in contention and it is not yet clear how this will be settled.

England announced its playing XI on the eve of the match with Joe Root returning to the ODI side for the first time since the 2023 World Cup.