Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif reckons Virat Kohli coming in will be a huge boost for the Indian team ahead of the ODI series against England. Kohli and Rohit have joined the team and their experience will be vital in English conditions.
Team India suffered a 0-4 T20I series loss against England and thus the morale of the side is in shambles. Furthermore, players like Shubman Gill, Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah will add a shot in the arm.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli scored 675 runs in IPL 2026 and played a key role in the team’s success. Rohit, on the other hand, recently returned with scores of 16, 48 and 79 against Afghanistan in home conditions.
“Kohli coming in during this crisis is like a blessing. I am telling you, he will fight till the end. The form he is in, Rohit’s form, all this will benefit Gambhir, who has not won a single game on this tour. With these guys coming in, you will do well in the ODIs,” Kaif said in a video on his YouTube channel.
The former UP batter reckons the return of bowlers like Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah will be a huge boost for the team.
“The biggest difference will be in the bowling. We are talking about the batting, but our bowling was very poor. The biggest plus point will be Kuldeep and Bumrah returning to the team. Rohit and Virat are, of course, greats in white-ball. But these are experienced players. You will find a massive difference in how India will play in the ODI series. There will be pressure. But someone like Virat thrives under such conditions. He and Rohit’s return is a big relief.”
The Natwest trophy final hero recalled there was a lot of unity and backing in the 2002 team under Sourav Ganguly and it helped him play the best knock of his career.
“When the captain and senior players are with you, you can do anything, as you have a belief in yourself and your game. In that 2002 tour (NatWest), not once did I feel that I was not welcome in the team or that I did not have a place in the team. My role was defined. There was a lot of unity. There was a combination of youth and experience,” he said.
India and England will take on each other in a three-match ODI series, starting Tuesday at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
