England Win the Toss, Opt to Bat Against India; Kohli Misses Out in Opening ODI
England’s captain Jos Buttler won the toss and chose to bat first in the opening match of the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against India on Thursday.
Nagpur: England’s captain Jos Buttler won the toss and chose to bat first in the opening match of the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against India on Thursday. The highly anticipated match is being played at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.
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India Without Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami Returns
The Indian team will be missing star batter Virat Kohli, who is sidelined due to a “sore right knee.” Despite Kohli’s absence, India has received a boost with the return of pacer Mohammed Shami, who is making his first ODI appearance since India’s World Cup final loss to Australia on November 19, 2024.
Also Read: This Australian All-Rounder Announces Surprise Retirement from ODIs
Shami, who was the leading wicket-taker for India in the 2024 ICC World Cup with 24 wickets, made his international comeback in the T20I series against England. India clinched the T20I series 4-1, with Shami playing a pivotal role in the team’s success.
Debuts for Yashasvi Jaiswal and Harshit Rana
In a notable development, the Rohit Sharma-led side handed debuts to young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and pacer Harshit Rana. Jaiswal, who has impressed in domestic cricket, will be hoping to make an impact at the international level, while Rana will be eager to show his skills in the ODI format.
This match marks India’s first ODI since August 2024, when they suffered a 0-2 defeat to Sri Lanka in a three-match series.
Teams for the Opening ODI:
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Shami.
England: Jos Buttler (c), Ben Duckett, Phil Salt (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, and Saqib Mahmood.
A Crucial Series Ahead
Both teams will be looking to gain momentum early in the series, with the result of this ODI setting the tone for the next two encounters. As India looks to bounce back from their defeat to Sri Lanka, England will be keen to make an impact in the ODI format after a successful T20I series against India.
