Gill, Jaiswal To Open, Sanju Samson In; India's Squad For England ODIs If Rohit, Kohli Rested

Jaiswal, Gill, Samson will likely be picked for ENG ODIs [Source: @TheCricket_Lab, @chinmayshah28/X]

After incurring a disastrous 3-1 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India are gearing up for the much-awaited home series against England. Apart from five T20Is, the white-ball leg comprises three ODIs, which the Men in Blue will utilise as their final dress rehearsal for the ICC Champions Trophy. 

For the unversed, the selection committee members will meet on Saturday before announcing the squad for the England series. Although India's legendary batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli could be a part of the ODI team, there are some valid reasons why the selectors might rest them for the series. 

Why Could India Rest Virat Kohli And Rohit Sharma?

• India's talismanic batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had a forgettable tour of Australia, failing miserably with the bat. The veteran cricketers have had a hectic Test season, having faced Bangladesh, New Zealand and Australia after India's triumphant T20 World Cup campaign. 
• Although they won't feature in the T20I leg and get ample rest after an exhausting tour of Down Under, India might consider excluding the duo for the England series and testing several players who are fighting for limited spots in the Champions Trophy squad. 
• Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are absolute champions of ODI cricket and don't really need three-match practice to prepare for the marquee event. So, it won't be surprising if the team management rests both of them and resolves the selection woes by assessing the performances of several players competing for similar roles. 

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What Should Be India's ODI Squad If Rohit, Kohli Are Rested?

Apart from Rohit and Kohli, experienced Indian keeper-batter KL Rahul could be rested for the white-ball series against England. This move will certainly open the door for Sanju Samson, who has stellar numbers despite limited opportunities in ODIs. 

According to TOI, the BCCI selectors have assured Rahul of a spot in the Champions Trophy squad. Therefore, the England series holds significant importance for both Pant and Samson, who will audition for the second keeper-batter slot. 

If Rohit is rested, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal will open the batting, and Hardik Pandya will likely lead the side. So, this move will further shed light on the leadership calibre of Pandya, who will be in the ODI captaincy race after Rohit's retirement. Also, it will allow both Gill and Jaiswal to prove their mettle as ODI openers and ease things for the management while choosing one of them as Rohit's opening partner in the Champions Trophy. 

Among others, Nitish Kumar Reddy, who performed admirably in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, could be tried in ODIs, as he brings multidimensionality to the table. Axar Patel and Washington Sundar could be India's first-choice spin-bowling all-rounders, with question raising over Ravindra Jadeja's batting ability lower down the order. 

As Jasprit Bumrah is all set to be sidelined for the series due to a back spasm, India will likely pick Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj as their frontline pacers. Mohammed Shami could be a wild card entry as well if he receives fitness clearance from the NCA. 

India's Probable Squad If Several Seniors Are Rested For ENG ODIs

Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy

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