Given their experience and skill level in the 50-over format, top batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma continue to be a “integral part” of India’s ODI team, according to captain Shubman Gill.
In the three-match ODI series against England, which starts in Birmingham on Tuesday, India will rely on Kohli and Rohit to turn things around.
Ireland and England crushed India 0-2 and 0-4, respectively, in the preceding Twenty20 International series.
“I think Virat Bhai and Rohit Bhai have been the backbone of the Indian batting lineup for the past decade and they remain a very integral part of our team,” PTI quoted Gill as saying during the pre-match press conference.
“The experience and the skill that they bring to the team is obviously very valuable. We have seen what they have done over the past decade in different conditions, repetitively, consistently, in a number of matches, different tournaments, different occasions,” he added.
Gill emphasized his point by saying that experience will be useful when a team faces a difficult circumstance.
“If there is an experienced lineup, I think you get a lot of experience in pressure situations because you have been in that situation many times and you have done good and bad. So, I think you get a sense of calmness when you are under pressure. So experience is very important in any lineup,” he said.
Gill claimed to have already discussed a feasible lineup of players for the 50-over World Cup that will take place in the Rainbow nation in 2027 with Kohli, a seasoned player in South African conditions.
“We (him and Kohli) were talking (at nets) about the combination. Which combination can be the best for SA? Which players are there who may not be in the team right now, but can help us in the future? Which bowlers are there? Which all-rounders are there? Which spinners are there? So, we were talking about all that,” he noted.
Gill also believed that India’s pace attack would be strengthened by the return of star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested to manage his workload following the 2026 Indian Premier League.
“Bumrah is coming into the setup after a bit of time. And hopefully, he has had a good number of overs leading up to this one-day series. And hopefully, this one-day series goes well for him and hopefully we will win the series and end up on a high,” he added.
