India vs England 2021: Virat Kohli confirms Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan as openers for the first ODI
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Virat Kohli
Having sealed victories in the four-match Test series as well as the five-match T20I series, the focus for Virat Kohli and India would now shift to the three-match ODI series which is set to begin tomorrow at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The ODIs will be the final bit of international action before the players disperse to their respective Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises for the tournament which begins on April 9.
Also Read: India vs England 2021: Predicting England’s playing XI for the ODI series
The ODIs will offer a chance for both sides to ascertain their position in the format which has been dwindling in importance as of late due to the World Test Championship (WTC) leading to more attention to tests and the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup leading to more importance for the T20I format.
Virat Kohli addresses the press ahead of the first ODI
Virat Kohli spoke at a virtual press conference and confirmed that Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan would open the innings tomorrow. “As far as the opening combination is concerned, Shikhar (Dhawan) and Rohit (Sharma) will definitely start. They have been amazing for us in the past few years,” he said.
Kohli also reiterated that he would open the innings in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) but that it isn’t a guarantee he would continue to open for India like he did in the fifth T20I as well. “I am going to open in the IPL to keep all options open, as Rohit said, it was strategic move to open in the 5th T20, it’s not a guarantee about who is going to open in future,” he said.
Speaking further of Suryakumar Yadav‘s form and his decision to open in the fifth T20I, he said, “The way Suryakumar Yadav was playing, to open up a slot for him – I should be able to play any role for the team and we will make a call closer to the World Cup.”
The Indian skipper also addressed the issue of umpire’s call and stated that cricket must be kept simple and that if a ball hits the stumps, it must be given out saying, “I’ve played for a long time when there was no DRS. When the umpire gave it out, it stayed out. When you get bowled as a batsman, you don’t consider if more than half of the ball is hitting the stumps. Umpire’s Call is creating more confusion. You don’t want some grey areas and factors in the game, which could define big games and tournaments.”
The first ODI takes place tomorrow in Pune and begins at 1:30 pm.
Also Read: India vs England 2021: Predicting India’s playing XI for the ODI series
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Nevin Clinton
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