India looks to carry T20 template into ODIs

LONDON: India will not go ballistic from ball one, but its batters are expected to carry their fearless approach from the shortest format to the ODIs when the three-match series against England begins here on Tuesday at the Oval.

India’s high-risk play helped it win the T20I series 2-1 against England and considering that the ODIs have become an extension of the shortest format, skipper Rohit Sharma sees no reason why his team should back down from such an approach.

England redefined the way ODI cricket was played and its dominant run culminated with the World Cup title in 2019. It would not be an exaggeration to say that India’s fresh outlook towards the shorter formats is inspired by the English template. The three matches are the only 50-over contests India will feature in before the T20 World Cup, but Rohit asserted that they still hold a lot of significance.

“All matches are important for us. We cannot play thinking that ODIs are not a priority, but we have to keep in mind the workload of each player. We will make changes, but our ultimate goal is to win matches. We will not leave that thought process behind,” said Rohit.

For someone like Shikhar Dhawan, who plays only one format in international cricket and will captain the ODI team in the West Indies, it will be a challenge to take on the England attack. However, the southpaw has found ways to stay consistent, whether he is playing ODIs for India or in the Indian Premier League.

India’s conscious effort to play aggressive will not come good always, but the team management is ready to live with that. The ODI series will be Jos Buttler’s first 50-over assignment since taking over as white-ball skipper from Eoin Morgan. After the T20 disappointment, the host will be eager to bounce back strongly.

Kohli may miss series opener with groin strain

Virat Kohli is likely to miss the first ODI after sustaining a groin strain during the third T20I. The extent of Kohli’s niggle is unknown, but the management would not mind giving the 33-year-old a break so that he is available for the following two matches.

“Virat had a groin strain during the last game. It cannot be confirmed whether it happened during fielding or while batting. He will probably miss the first ODI as the groin needs rest,” a BCCI source told PTI on the condition of anonymity.