Virat Kohli fit and raring to go in India vs England 2nd ODI: Sitanshu Kotak's announcement comes as music to all ears
Virat Kohli has been declared fit for the 2nd ODI between India and England at Cuttack on Sunday.
Virat Kohli has recovered from the knee injury that ruled him out of the 1st ODI against England and the former India captain is all set to play the 2nd game in Cuttack on Sunday, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak announced on Saturday. Kohli experienced swelling on his right knee the night before the series opener and despite his best efforts to pass match fitness, he fell short.
As it turned out, Kohli's injury paved the way for Shreyas Iyer's inclusion in the Playing XI, who struck a rampant half-century to drive India's chase. However, now that Kohli has recovered and will take back the No. 3 spot, Yashasvi Jaiswal is likely to get the axe, which will propel Shubman Gill back to the opening slot.
"Virat Kohli is fit to play the 2nd ODI against England in Cuttack on Sunday," Kotak said on the eve of the match.
Kohli's attainment of 100 percent match fitness means he would play his first ODI since August of last year. With just two matches to go before the Champions Trophy, it's imperative that Kohli finds form and scores some runs after the horror that was the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The one-day format is believed to be Kohli's comfort zone and if there's any format that can help Kohli get back to his run-scoring ways, it's the ODI.
Kohli at Cuttack
Having said that, Kohli returns to a venue that hasn't been too kind to him. Kohli has played 4 ODIs at Cuttack's Barabati Stadium, tallying just 118 runs at an average of less than 30, with a highest of 85 against West Indies. In fact, it was against the Windies that Kohli played his first match in Cuttack, where he was out for just 3. Two more disappointing scores followed as he made 22 against Sri Lanka in 2014 and 8 against England in 2017.
