NEW DELHI: India star batter Rohit Sharma returned to the nets ahead of the three-match ODI series against England, which begins on July 14 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.A video of Rohit’s practice session has gone viral on social media. The veteran opener played a variety of shots, including straight drives and cover drives, with ease during the net session. India is currently playing a five-match T20I series against England.
Rohit is back after injury
Rohit has missed a chunk of IPL action this year due to a hamstring injury. In nine IPL matches, he scored 283 runs at an average of 35.37 and a strike rate of 157.22, including two fifties, with a best score of 84.This year, Rohit has scored 204 runs in six ODIs at an average of 34.00 and 100 strike rate. He had a half-century, with a best score of 79.During the ODI series against Afghanistan, he scored 16, 48 and 79.Rohit is India’s third highest run-getter in ODIs, with 11,720 runs in 285 matches and 277 innings at an average of 48.83 and a strike rate of 92.97. He scored 33 centuries and 62 fifties. His unbeaten 264 against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in 2014 remains the highest individual score in ODI history.The former India captain’s future in the ODI format and his preparations for the 2027 World Cup have been major talking points since he and Virat Kohli: retired from Test cricket last year.Apart from Rohit, star batsman Virat Kohli has also been named in India’s squad for the three-match ODI series against England. However, his inclusion is subject to fitness clearance.
India’s ODI squad against England
Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli*, Shreyas Iyer (Vice-Captain), KL Rahul (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Gurnoorep Singh. (* – fitness subject)