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India vs England 3rd ODI LIVE: India will be squaring off against England in the third and final ODI of the three-match series in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. The hosts have already clinched the series with 2-0 lead and will now be playing for a clean sweep.
The recent turn of events in the Indian ODI team has been quite dramatic. After Jasprit Bumrah's injury became a catch-22 situation, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee decided not to take him to Dubai for the ICC Champions Trophy, naming Harshit Rana, who made his ODI debut in the England series, as his replacement. Another surprise awaited the Indian cricketing spectrum as opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal was dropped for mystery spinner Vaun Chakravarthy, courtesy of the latter's exemplary performances in the T20I assignment against England.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, two of the biggest players in Indian cricket right now, are at the proverbial crossroads of their career. Their class is unquestionable but their current form is not. Both the senior stars have had a tumultuous run after the T20 world Cup 2024. They have already retired from the shortest format and now question marks are being raised on whether they should continue in the other formats too. Rohit is few months short of 38, while Kohli celebrated his 36th birthday a few months ago.
Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison has drawn a striking parallel between India's ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah and football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, emphasising the irreplaceable nature of the fast bowler. Harmison believes that if Bumrah is forced to miss the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy due to injury, it would be akin to a FIFA World Cup without Ronaldo at his peak. Bumrah, who played a pivotal role in India's Test series against Australia, is struggling with a swelling on his back and is likely to miss the group stage of the Champions Trophy.
Virat Kohli may have been going through a poor run of form but the senior Indian batter remains the "best player in the world," feels former West Indian swashbuckler Chris Gayle. The 36-year-old Kohli endured yet another poor outing as he was dismissed for just five runs in the second ODI against England in Cuttack on Sunday. But Gayle, who has played alongside Kohli at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL, remains unperturbed by the Indian's lean stretch. "He is still the best player in the world regardless of the form, Virat Kohli is still the best player, the stats prove that, how many centuries across formats he has scored as well," Gayle said on the sidelines of an event here on Tuesday.
The Indian cricket team is currently in Ahmedabad for the third India vs England ODI on Wednesday. In the second ODI in Cuttack, Odisha, India registered a fine win over the Jos Buttler-led visitors with skipper Rohit Sharma scoring a 90-ball 119. Virat Kohli, who missed the first ODI due to a knee injury, could not fire in the second ODI. The ODIs are the only matches in the format for India this year ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025. Virat Kohli's form will be closely watched going into the Champions Trophy.
Since the start of the ODI series between India and England, Virat Kohli has had quite a few boundary-rope talks with Kevin Pietersen. As the duo was spotted engaging in a conversation in Cuttack yet again on Sunday, speculations over 'real estate chatter in London' arose. Even former India cricketer Aakash Chopra said that Kohli might be seeking an understanding of real estate in London from Pietersen. When the England great was asked this question directly, he expressed his disappointment and brushed aside the talks.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri feels Mohammad Rizwan-led Pakistan will have "enough depth to be dangerous in home conditions" in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. Pakistan have the benefit of playing at home conditions as the country is set to co-host a senior ICC event for the first time since the World Cup in 1996. "There's always pressure when you play at home in the sub-continent – whether it's India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, or Pakistan – the expectations are massive," Shastri remarked when speaking with host Sanjana Ganesan on the latest episode of The ICC Review.