India Gears Up for Crucial ODI Series Against England

India vice-captain Shubman Gill emphasizes the significance of the ODI series against England, moving beyond mere practice for the 2025 Champions Trophy. With key changes, the team looks to dominate the series, while Varun Chakaravarthy joins the squad following impressive performances in the T20I series.

India's vice-captain, Shubman Gill, set the stakes high on Tuesday for the upcoming ODI series against England, clarifying that the team is not treating this as a warm-up for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The first match of the series is scheduled at Nagpur's Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium this Thursday.

The series will proceed to Cuttack's Barabati Stadium for the second ODI, followed by the finale at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium on February 12. The squad mirrors the line-up for the ICC Champions Trophy, substituting Harshit Rana for Jasprit Bumrah.

Speaking at a pre-series press conference, Gill acknowledged the formidable challenge posed by the English side and underscored the importance of the series. He noted the responsibility of his vice-captaincy, striving to contribute through both performance and strategic insights alongside captain Rohit Sharma.

While reflecting on his vice-captaincy role, Gill emphasized it as an obligation to deliver on the field and communicate essential strategies with Rohit Sharma. Despite a lackluster performance in the Border-Gavaskar Test series against Australia, Gill remains committed to his leadership duties.

Gill boasts an impressive record in ODIs, with significant scoring achievements and a promising World Cup debut in 2023. Meanwhile, the BCCI has augmented the squad with Varun Chakaravarthy, following his outstanding performance in the T20I series against England.

The revised Indian squad aims to leverage past performances as they face England, featuring cricket stars such as Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Virat Kohli, under the leadership dynamic of Gill and Sharma. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)