The second ODI between India and England in the England tour of India, 2025, is underway at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, starting at 1:30 PM local time. The biggest highlight of the day is Virat Kohli returning to India’s playing XI after missing the first match due to a knee injury. Kohli replaces young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, and fans are now eagerly watching if Kohli will open with Rohit Sharma.
Kohli, confirmed fit by India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, showed no signs of discomfort during practice on Saturday. He engaged in short sprints and batted with ease in the nets. His inclusion adds immense value to India’s top order, but it raises questions about his batting position. Given that Yashasvi Jaiswal opened alongside Rohit Sharma in the first ODI, will Kohli step in as an opener or slide down to his preferred No. 3 position?
Varun Chakravarthy also makes his much-anticipated ODI debut, replacing Kuldeep Yadav, who is being rested for the match. Chakravarthy, known for his mystery spin, could be a crucial weapon on the black-soil pitch, which is expected to play on the slower side.
India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (w), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy
England Playing XI: Philip Salt (w), Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Saqib Mahmood
Match Updates:
- England won the toss and opted to bat first. Jos Buttler expects the dry, black-soil wicket to be good for batting initially.
- Rohit Sharma praised India’s strong performance in the first ODI and highlighted the intent of Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill.
Kohli’s return could mean significant changes to India’s approach, as they look to dominate the English side following their comprehensive win in the first ODI.
