India vs England 1st ODI: Virat Kohli not playing in Nagpur due to injury

Virat was seen with a strapped knee before the toss before officially getting ruled out of the game

India suffred a huge setback in the first ODI against England in Nagpur as their star batter Virat Kohli has been ruled out of the match due to knee injury. The announcement of Virat missing the game was made by skipper Rohit Sharma after the toss. Rohit said, "It's very important to get some gametime, try and maximize whatever opportunity we have. Jaiswal and Harshit are making his debut, unfortunately Virat isn't playing, he had a knee problem last night." 

  The blow forced a last-minute reshuffle in India's playing XI, with Yashasvi Jaiswal stepping in to make his ODI debut alongside bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana.

 

Rohit confirms Kohli’s injury at toss 

India captain Rohit Sharma revealed the injury at the toss, confirming that Kohli hurt his right knee during Wednesday's training session. In his absence, Jaiswal was slotted to open alongside Rohit, while vice-captain Shubman Gill was listed at No. 4 in the team sheet. However, the final batting order remained uncertain. India lost the toss and were asked to bowl first in Nagpur.  Check India vs England 1st ODI live score and match updates

 

Final ODI series before Champions Trophy

  This three-match series against England marks India's last ODI assignment before the Champions Trophy, which begins on February 19. The team has not played ODI cricket since August last year, when they lost a three-match series 2-0 in Sri Lanka, with one game ending in a tie.

 

Kohli’s form under scrutiny 

Kohli’s absence comes at a time when his form has been under the scanner. He endured a torrid tour of Australia, where all his dismissals came via edges to the wicketkeeper or slip cordon. In an effort to regain his touch, he spent a week working with former India and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batting coach Sanjay Bangar before playing a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi—his first since 2012. However, that outing proved disappointing, as he was bowled for just six against Railways.

 

Chasing an ODI milestone

  Despite recent struggles, ODI cricket remains Kohli’s strongest format. He is currently just 94 runs away from becoming only the third batter in history to reach 14,000 runs in the format, following Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara. When he does get there, Kohli is expected to become the fastest to the milestone, further cementing his legacy.

 

As India take the field without their batting mainstay, all eyes will be on the debutants and the reshuffled batting order, with the team hoping to start the series on a strong note.