Team India star batter Shubman Gill has expressed confidence in Virat Kohli's chances of playing in the second ODI against England in Cuttack on February 9. The 25-year-old said Kohli seemed all fit to play a day before the game but had a swollen knee in the morning.
The first ODI against England on Thursday in Nagpur proved to be the first international game that Kohli has missed out on for the since 2022 due to injury-related reasons. According to media reports, the 36-year-old had suffered a knee injury while travelling to Nagpur, forcing the think tank to keep him out of the opening match.
Speaking to the broadcasters after the game, here's what Gill said, as quoted by India Today:
"When he woke up in the morning, he had some swelling in his knee. He was fine till yesterday's practice session. There's nothing to worry. He will definitely be fit for the next game."
"It wasn’t a huge adjustment - Shubman Gill on batting at No.3
Having mostly opened in the ODI format, the Punjab-born cricketer said he only played according to the situation and that batting at No.3 in Tests and 50-over cricket doesn't make a massive difference.
"I think I play at number three in Test matches, so it wasn’t a huge adjustment. But, definitely, the situation is slightly different. If you are batting at number three and early wickets fall, you have to play according to the situation. However, if the openers have built a good partnership, then you have to carry that momentum forward. That was my thought process—to bat according to the situation and the over in which I had to come in."
