Rohit, Kohli work hard in nets ahead of England ODIs
What's the story
Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma and star batsman Virat Kohli are leaving no stone unturned in their preparations for the first One Day International (ODI) against England.
The two players showed their exquisite range of strokes during a high-intensity net session.
The preparations are for the three-match series which starts on Thursday in Nagpur, and the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.
Training footage
BCCI shares video of Rohit, Kohli's net session
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released a video of Rohit and Kohli's grueling training session.
The clip shows the two cricketing legends displaying a mix of old school and aggressive batting.
This intense preparation comes as Team India fine-tunes its plan for the upcoming Champions Trophy, which will be held in Pakistan and Dubai.
Twitter Post
Twitter Post
đ Nagpur
â BCCI (@BCCI) February 5, 2025
Gearing up for the #INDvENG ODI series opener..
..in Ro-Ko style đ#TeamIndia | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @ImRo45 | @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/gR2An4tTk0
Strategy shift
Rohit's ODI approach since 2023 WC
For Rohit, the upcoming series is an opportunity to re-establish himself as a linchpin in India's batting order.
His ODI approach has changed drastically since the 2023 World Cup, where his explosive opening approach played a pivotal role in India's dominance.
During the 2023 World Cup, Rohit struck at 125.94.
Even during India's tour of Sri Lanka, Rohit scored 157 runs in 3 matches with a strike rate of 141.44.
Words
Gill lauds Rohit's fearless approach
India's vice-captain Shubman Gill lauded Rohit's fearless approach during a press conference.
"The way Rohit bhai has been batting in the ODIs in the past one year and a half, it's been really game-changing for us. Taking the momentum right through from the start and taking the game away from ball one, and it makes the job of the non-striker and the batsmen coming in a bit easier and I think it has helped our team a lot," said Gill
Record
Rohit's quest for 11,000 ODI runs
Rohit is only 134 shy of completing 11,000 runs in ODI cricket. If he manages to do it in his next 19 innings, he will be the second-fastest to do so after Virat Kohli (222 innings).
He would also surpass Sachin Tendulkar on the list of fastest batters to achieve the milestone in ODIs.
The Master Blaster touched this mark in 276 innings. Meanwhile, Rohit owns 10,866 from 257 ODI innings so far.
Milestone chase
Kohli eyes 14,000-run milestone in ODI cricket
The upcoming series also gives Kohli an opportunity to further etch his legacy in ODI cricket.
Despite recent ups and downs in his Test form, Kohli's ability in white-ball cricket is unquestionable.
He is just 94 runs away from becoming only the third player to cross the 14,000-run mark in ODIs.
Considering his phenomenal record in Nagpur where he averages 81.25, this milestone looks possible.
Kohli is currently the third-highest run-scorer in ODI cricket, with 13,906 runs at 58.18.