Towering giants or tottering batters? Kohli and Rohit under pressure ahead of second ODI at Cuttack

Cuttack: The selectors of India have a difficult task ahead of the second ODI against England, set to be held on Sunday in Cuttack, as they prepare to field their two ageing but prominent batters amid growing concerns over their recent poor run of scores. The barren run of skipper Rohit Sharma and the selection dilemma posed by Virat Kohli’s possible return present significant challenges to India’s quest for a series win.

India took a 1-0 lead with a four-wicket victory in Nagpur, but Kohli’s absence due to a “sore right knee” raised concerns about his fitness ahead of the Champions Trophy later this month. However, vice-captain Shubman Gill hinted that Kohli could return for the second match, which will be played at a venue where he scored a match-winning 85 against the West Indies in 2019.

Kohli has traveled to Cuttack with his teammates and appeared relaxed, a positive sign for India but one that complicates selection.

Who will Kohli replace?

Shreyas Iyer, who was brought in at the last minute to replace Kohli, played a blistering 36-ball 59, making it almost unthinkable to drop him. If past selection patterns are followed, Kohli would take Iyer’s spot, but it is more likely that Yashasvi Jaiswal will make way for the batting stalwart. This could see Gill rejoin Rohit at the top, given that Jaiswal did not have an outstanding outing in Nagpur.

It remains to be seen how the team management, led by Gautam Gambhir, which has favored left-right combinations, navigates this situation. Beyond selection concerns, Kohli himself needs runs, as his form has been under scrutiny in recent months, particularly after struggling in Australia, where he repeatedly edged deliveries behind the stumps.

His last competitive outing, for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy, was also underwhelming—he managed just six runs before being bowled by Railways pacer Himanshu Sangwan.

However, One-Day cricket is Kohli’s strongest format, and the 36-year-old is just 94 runs away from becoming the third batter to reach 14,000 ODI runs, following Sachin Tendulkar (18,426) and Kumar Sangakkara (14,234). If he achieves this milestone in his 283rd ODI innings, he would surpass Tendulkar (350 innings) and Sangakkara (378) as the fastest to do so.

Rohit's lean run

Rohit’s struggles continued as he was dismissed for just two runs in the first ODI, extending his poor form from the Test series against Australia. His dismissal—a mis-timed lofted shot off Liam Livingstone that ballooned to midwicket—showed his desperation for runs.

The Mumbai batter has not scored a fifty in any format since August last year, when he made 64 against Sri Lanka in Colombo. If he fails to deliver in these ODIs against England, it could raise deeper concerns about his form and future.

Settled bowling attack

India’s bowling unit looks well-balanced, with the fit-again Mohammed Shami gradually regaining his rhythm after making his international comeback. He started with a maiden over in Nagpur before settling into his groove, finishing with an impressive 1/38 from eight overs.

Debutant Harshit Rana had a tough start, getting taken apart by Phil Salt, and ended up as the most expensive bowler in Nagpur. However, he turned the game in India’s favor with crucial strikes, dismissing Ben Duckett and Harry Brook in the same over.

With ongoing fitness concerns surrounding lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Rana has an outside chance of cementing his place with another strong performance.

Make-or-break for England

For Jos Buttler’s side, this is a must-win match, and they might opt for a more measured batting approach rather than an outright aggressive one. England’s chances will hinge on how their attacking style holds up against India’s quality spinners, especially on a pitch that could offer them substantial assistance.

Teams (from)

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (v-c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed 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.

Match starts at 1:30 PM IST | PTI