Why Virat Kohli is not playing in first ODI? – India TV

India are all set to take on England in the first ODI of the ongoing white-ball series against England. Both sides will lock horns at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur on Thursday, February 6. It is worth noting that both India and England will be coming into the ODI series on the back of a T20I series loss. The Indian team defeated the visitors in four T20Is in the five-game series. Furthermore, with the ODI series on the horizon, Jos Buttler and his men will be seeking redemption as both sides lock horns in Nagpur.

Ahead of the first ODI, there have been several speculations around the Indian team’s playing XI for the game. The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Harshit Rana received their ODI caps before the start of the game.  Furthermore, in a major development, it was announced that ace batter Virat Kohli will be missing the first ODI against England. Skipper Rohit Sharma talked about a knee problem that will keep Virat out of the game in Nagpur, the same was also confirmed by the BCCI in a statement.

“We want to come out and be aggressive at the start and see what we can do thereafter. This series presents us fresh opportunity to come out and play well. Jaiswal and Rana make their debut, unfortunately Kohli not playing, a right knee problem that happened last night,” Rohit Sharma said at the toss.

Yashasvi Jaiswal is set to make his ODI debut for the hosts; it is interesting to note that in 32 List A matches played, Jaiswal has managed to amass 1511 runs to his name with an average of 53.96 runs.

India playing XI

Rohit Sharma(c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami

England playing XI

Ben Duckett, Phil Salt, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood