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Virat Kohli, one of India’s star cricketers, will miss the first ODI match against England in Nagpur because of a knee injury. The injury occurred during training just before the game. Kohli has been replaced by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who will make his ODI debut. Along with Jaiswal, Harshit Rana, a bowling all-rounder, is also debuting for India.
What Happened to Kohli?
At the toss, India’s captain Rohit Sharma shared that Kohli injured his right knee while training on Wednesday evening. This injury means Kohli will not be playing in the first match, which is a blow to the team, as he is a key player for India.
Changes in the Playing XI
With Kohli out, Yashasvi Jaiswal will open the batting with Rohit Sharma. Shubman Gill, who would have opened with Rohit if Kohli was fit, will bat at No. 4. India lost the toss and will be bowling first in Nagpur.
This match is part of a 3-match ODI series between India and England, which is important as it is the last series before the Champions Trophy starts on February 19.
Kohli’s Recent Form
Kohli’s form has been under review recently. He struggled in the recent Australia tour, where he was dismissed several times by edges caught behind. To improve, Kohli worked with former coach Sanjay Bangar and also played a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi, but was dismissed for just 6 runs.
Despite his recent struggles, Kohli is still in great form in ODIs. He is only 94 runs away from becoming the third player in history to score 14,000 runs in ODIs. Only Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara have achieved this before him. Kohli is also expected to become the fastest to reach this milestone.
India’s ODI Series Against England
The series against England is important for India as it is their last set of ODI matches before the Champions Trophy begins. India hasn’t played ODI cricket since August last year, when they lost 2-0 to Sri Lanka.
Even though Kohli’s absence is a big loss for India, the team still has strong players like Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and others to perform well. India will be looking to win this series and regain their momentum before the Champions Trophy.
