Who Will Virat Kohli Replace? Aakash Chopra On Team India's Playing XI Ahead Of IND vs ENG 2nd ODI

The buzz surrounding India’s second ODI against England in Cuttack on Sunday, February 9, has intensified with Virat Kohli’s much-anticipated return. Kohli, who missed the series opener in Nagpur due to a knee injury, is now fit and ready to reclaim his place in the playing XI. However, this presents a selection dilemma: Who will make way for the former Indian skipper?

Kohli Fit, Kohli In, But Who Goes Out?

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has raised an intriguing question—who should be dropped to accommodate Kohli? The prevailing assumption was that Yashasvi Jaiswal had replaced Kohli in the first ODI, but later revelations indicated that Shreyas Iyer wasn’t originally slated to play. Instead, Iyer was drafted in as a last-minute replacement when Kohli was ruled out.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra dissected the team’s initial plans and pondered the possible changes in the batting lineup. “Kohli fit, Kohli in, but who goes out? That’s the big question because if Kohli had been fit in the last match, Shreyas Iyer wouldn’t have played. It means the team’s game plan was to have Yashasvi with Rohit (Sharma), a left-right combination. So where would (Shubman) Gill have played, and what will they do now?” Chopra questioned.

The Shreyas Iyer vs. Yashasvi Jaiswal Conundrum

Shreyas Iyer made a strong case for retention with a blistering 59 off 36 balls in the first ODI, playing a crucial role in India’s four-wicket victory. On the other hand, debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal struggled to find his rhythm, managing only 15 runs off 22 balls.

Chopra highlighted Kohli’s exceptional fitness levels, emphasizing that he rarely misses matches due to injuries. “Virat Kohli not playing in the last match hurt a little as he never misses games because of fitness. He is very rarely unfit. He had a neck issue in January, which ruled him out of a Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra. Then, something happened to his knee before the Nagpur game,” Chopra observed.

Given Iyer’s impactful innings, dropping him seems unfair. However, sticking to the original left-right opening combination of Rohit Sharma and Jaiswal may lead to Iyer’s omission. The selection committee now faces a tough decision: prioritize form or stick to the predetermined batting philosophy?

Should Yashasvi Jaiswal Make Way for Kohli?

Chopra suggested a straightforward solution: drop Jaiswal, move Gill to the top, and slot Kohli at his preferred No. 3 position. “A very easy way is to leave out Yashasvi, send Gill at the top, and keep Virat Kohli at No. 3. All is well. I am saying that should happen as well. Gill should be with Rohit, Kohli at No. 3, Iyer at No. 4, and (KL) Rahul at No. 5, but will that happen? And if that happens, what about the philosophy?” he pondered.

However, he also pointed out that team selection is not just about individual performances but also about maintaining a strategic balance. “Will your philosophy change just because a player (Shreyas) scored runs in one match? Team selection is not just about personnel. Team selection is also about philosophy. So if the Indian team had made up their mind that they wanted to go with Yashasvi and Rohit, you should 100 percent forget Yashasvi’s failure in one match,” Chopra remarked.