The Japan Times - Kohli returns as India bowl in 2nd ODI against England

Kohli missed India's 10-wicket thrashing of world champions England in the 1st ODI at the Oval on Tuesday with a "mild groin strain".

But the fit-again Kohli, who has been struggling for runs and was on Thursday left out of the India squad for the upcoming T20 series in West Indies, replaced Shreyas Iyer for the second of this three-match series.

England were unchanged from the side blown away for just 110 at the Oval -- a match where India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah took career-best figures of 6-19.

"Compared to the Oval there is slightly less grass but it looks like there is some moisture," said Rohit at the toss. "Looking at the size of the ground we thought it's better to have a score in front of us.

He added: "Jasprit Bumrah is a quality bowler across all formats. He has proven that again and again and gives us an extra dimension to our attack, we can use him however we want to, in all phases of the game."

- 'Move on' -

England captain Jos Buttler, who would have bowled first had he won the toss, said: "We've got to move on (from the first ODI) and just treat it as one of those days.

"There are things to take from it, we must do that, but I said after the game that our batting has been such a strength for us over the last few years and I certainly don't think that's going to change after that game."

Thursday's encounter is taking place three years to the day since England beat New Zealand in a World Cup final at Lord's -- the only time their men's side have won a major 50-over global title.

England's team contained five survivors from that dramatic 'Super Over' victory in Buttler, Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root and Ben Stokes.

But while England have won all four Tests under the new red ball leadership duo of captain Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, the white-ball side has struggled since Buttler took over from 2019 World Cup-winning skipper Eoin Morgan who stepped down last month.

Buttler has won just one of his first four matches in permanent charge, with England beaten 2-1 in a Twenty20 series by India prior to Tuesday's humiliating loss on the other side of London's River Thames.

Teams

England: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (capt/wkt), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Craig Overton, David Willey, Brydon Carse, Reece Topley

India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wkt), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna

Umpires: Alex Wharf (ENG), Richard Kettleborough (ENG)

TV umpire: Richard Illingworth (ENG)

Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

T.Shimizu--JT