India’s vice-captain Shubman Gill has eased worries about Virat Kohli’s knee injury. He said that Kohli will be ready to play in the second ODI against England in Cuttack on February 9. Kohli missed the first match in Nagpur because his right knee was swollen after a fitness test showed he wasn’t ready to play. Shreyas Iyer stepped in for him after India’s win, while Gill moved up to the No. 3 batting spot.
India won the first match by four wickets, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. After the game, Gill explained that Kohli’s injury is minor and not serious. “When he woke up today, his knee was swollen, but he was fine in practice yesterday. There’s nothing to worry about. He will definitely be fit for the next game,” said Gill.
Kohli, 36, rarely misses matches due to injury, so his absence was surprising. Gill performed well at No. 3, scoring 87 runs off 95 balls, helping India chase down the target after some early wickets fell. He said that moving to the No. 3 position wasn’t too challenging for him because he usually bats there in Test matches.
“I play at No. 3 in Tests, so it wasn’t a big change. But the game situation is different. If early wickets fall, you need to adjust. If the openers do well, you keep up the momentum. That’s how I approached it,” Gill explained.
With the second ODI coming up, Kohli’s return will strengthen India’s batting lineup as they aim to win the series.
Leave a Reply