India had taken a 1-0 lead after their four-wicket win at Nagpur, but Kohli getting rested due to soreness in his knee had raised concerns about his fitness ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, starting February 19.
As the focus shifts to white-ball cricket, the two superstars of the format — Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli — will hope to get back to beast mode in the three-match ODI series against England as India begin their final preparations for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, starting February 19.
India’s ODI and Test skipper Rohit Sharma, who led the team to their second ICC T20 World Cup title last June, has been named captain of the ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year 2024. The team dominated by Indians also features star pacer Jasprit Bumrah and left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh, along with all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
Mumbai skipper Ajinkya Rahane backed long-time teammate Rohit Sharma’s “hunger for runs” as the current India Test and ODI captain prepares for a return to domestic cricket after low returns in his last eight Tests this season.
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar said he has a strong belief in Rohit Sharma having the autonomy to decide when he retires from international cricket, though he thinks the selectors could also have a say in it.
The unavailability of star players like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Mohammed Shami has in a way put the onus on the younger players to prove themselves on the big stage and in a way stake their claim in the side.
The day was special for English skipper Ben Stokes, who claimed the wicket of Rohit with his first delivery of the series, having not bowled competitively since the second Test of last year’s Ashes. A sharply seaming ball that hit Rohit’s off stump as he resumed his innings after the lunch break brought some relief to the English camp as it ended a sedate 171-run stand for the second wicket between Sharma and Gill.
There are chances of precipitation on the first two days of the match, and the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 10 degrees before rising over the weekend. Both teams have used different lenses of judging the pitch.
In the 2024 edition, Pandya’s first assignment will be against the Titans when Mumbai Indians open their campaign at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 24.
With this achievement, Sharma becomes the country's 17th cricketer to reach the milestone.
