With the Test series now behind them, India turn their attention to the ODIs as they seek redemption following a 0-2 defeat to South Africa. The opening match of the three-game series takes place on Sunday, and the spotlight firmly returns to two giants of Indian cricket: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The duo, who have been away from ODI cricket since their appearances in Australia in October, are back to reinforce the Indian line-up. Their last outing together saw Rohit smash an unbeaten 121 while Kohli crafted a fluent 74*, the pair stitching a match-winning partnership of 168. Both seniors now feature solely in the 50-over format after stepping aside from Tests and T20Is.
India pacer Arshdeep Singh expressed his excitement at sharing the dressing room with them again. Speaking on JioStar, the left-armer said that their form in practice suggested a big performance is imminent. “Rohit bhai and Virat bhai won’t need words. Their batting will do the talking,” Arshdeep said. “Watching them time the ball the way they did in training was special. As a bowler, I wouldn’t want to bowl to them right now. As a teammate, I’m hoping to see plenty of runs from both of them in the first ODI.” Arshdeep also spoke about the need to adapt quickly to conditions, emphasising that his main objective remains unchanged. “Wherever we play, the goal is to adjust, read the surface and the batters, and pick the right variations. Home or away, my job is to take wickets for the team.” India will be led by KL Rahul in this series, with regular ODI captain Shubman Gill unavailable due to a neck injury sustained during the Kolkata Test. Gill, who retired hurt after facing just three balls, was later ruled out of both the second Test and the ODIs after not recovering in time. India now look to their experienced core and a refreshed mindset as they chase a strong response in the shorter format.
