Kohli, Bumrah Back for England ODIs! Jaiswal Dropped Despite Century
Kohli, Bumrah Back for England ODIs! Jaiswal Dropped Despite Century
Big news for Team India! Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah return to the ODI squad for the England series. Hardik Pandya is out, and centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal is surprisingly dropped. Get all the details!
India has officially announced its One-Day International (ODI) squad for the highly anticipated tour to England. Cricket fans are buzzing with the return of several key players, while some notable omissions have also sparked discussion.
Star batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are both making a comeback to the ODI setup, marking their first appearance together in the format since January. Kohli, who suffered a hamstring injury during the IPL 2026 final held last month in Ahmedabad, will only join the squad after receiving the necessary fitness clearance from the BCCI. This conditional inclusion highlights the board's emphasis on player fitness following demanding schedules.
However, the team will be without ace all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has been ruled out of the series. Pandya failed to regain fitness after sustaining an injury during the recent IPL season while playing for the Mumbai Indians, a significant blow to India's balance.
The squad selection also saw a surprising decision regarding young left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal. Despite impressing with a stellar performance, including his second ODI century against Afghanistan in Chennai, Jaiswal has been omitted from the side. His exclusion comes as Kohli returns, raising questions about selection strategies when all top-order batsmen are available. Captain Shubman Gill had previously hinted at tough selection calls, stating, "I mean, it is a good kind of headache having all the players that are performing and I think the squad will be announced tomorrow or the next couple of days. So, we will see the squad and then we will have the best XI to put out anyway. I mean, we will see where everyone’s fitness is. If everyone is fit, like I said, we will see who is in the squad and based on the squad, we will try to make the best XI possible."
Adding to the excitement, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is set to make his return to national duties. This series will mark Bumrah's first ODI appearance since the 2023 World Cup final against Australia in Ahmedabad, nearly three years ago, signifying a crucial boost to India's bowling attack. While Mohammed Siraj has been notably left out, India has retained a strong crop of seamers who featured in the recent ODI series against Afghanistan, including Prasidh Krishna.
The upcoming England tour promises to be a thrilling contest, with India aiming to make a strong statement with a blend of returning veterans and promising talent, despite the challenges of injuries and tough selection decisions.
