For skipper Virat Kohli, the primary aim will be to get an idea of his core group of players going into the ICC T20 World Cup in October. And he couldn’t have hoped for a better opposition than a world-class English white-ball side under Eoin Morgan. A blend of favourable results in the present and finding the perfect combination for the near future will be India’s main endeavour when they square off against a well-rounded England in a five-match T20 International series starting in Ahmedabad on Friday.
For skipper Virat Kohli, the primary aim will be to get an idea of his core group of players going into the ICC T20 World Cup in October. And he couldn’t have hoped for a better opposition than a world-class English white-ball side under Eoin Morgan, ready to be way more challenging on flatter tracks which promise a run-feast.
England’s explosive batsman-keeper Jos Buttler had recently said “This is a fantastic opportunity for us to play in conditions where we will be playing the World Cup.”
Rohit said “If we focus on the present, the future will take care of itself. It’s a long series and it’s important to see where we stand as a team and individual.”
While there are more advantages of having multiple options, fashionably described as a “happy headache” for any captain, there are a few pitfalls that come with such a situation. The Indian team understands this fully well, having burnt its hands during the 2019 World Cup. It was one event where till last moment, they didn’t have a settled number four. So it will only be fair that Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri, in their minds, decide who will be Rohit’s opening partner going into the mega event. The choice is down to KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan.
