After a tough Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, India now shifts focus to an eight-match white-ball series at home against England. The series, comprising five T20Is and three ODIs, serves as a final opportunity for both teams to fine-tune their squads ahead of the Champions Trophy.
India’s ODI team will differ significantly from the T20I squad as they aim to bounce back from their recent setbacks. Rohit Sharma, despite struggling in Australia, is likely to retain his captaincy. In his last ODI series, he showcased his prowess with 157 runs against Sri Lanka at an average of 52.33 and a strike rate of 141.44. Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli will likely anchor the top order, while Yashasvi Jaiswal could serve as the reserve opener, given his stellar recent form.
In the middle order, Shreyas Iyer is the front-runner for the number four spot. Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul will likely handle wicketkeeping duties, with Pant’s aggressive batting offering a left-handed option if needed.
Hardik Pandya will lead as the primary all-rounder, supported by Axar Patel and Washington Sundar in spin-bowling roles. Veteran Ravindra Jadeja might be rested to give Axar and Sundar opportunities to secure spots for the Champions Trophy.
Jasprit Bumrah is expected to miss the series for workload management, making Mohammed Siraj the leader of the pace attack. Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana are likely contenders for the supporting roles. Varun Chakravarthy may receive an ODI call-up if Kuldeep Yadav remains unavailable due to injury.
Probable Squad:
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (WK), KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy
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