Virat Kohli has been named in India’s 15-player ODI squad for the July tour of England, but his availability remains subject to BCCI fitness clearance.
The ICC confirmed India’s squad on 21 June, with Shubman Gill set to captain the side and Rohit Sharma also included for the three-match series. Kohli returns to the 50-over group after missing the Afghanistan series with a hamstring injury, while Jasprit Bumrah is back in the ODI setup.
India will face England at Edgbaston on 14 July, Sophia Gardens on 16 July and Lord’s on 19 July. The squad also includes Shreyas Iyer as vice-captain, wicketkeeping options KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan, and a spin group of Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, according to the ICC squad announcement.
Kohli fitness call leaves India with a clear England storyline
Kohli’s inclusion gives India a heavyweight batting option for a short, high-profile ODI series, but the fitness caveat keeps the final shape of Gill’s XI open.
The pace attack has a more settled look with Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana and Gurnoor Brar all named. Nitish Kumar Reddy’s retention as a seam-bowling all-rounder gives India another balance option as they prepare for English conditions.
The immediate focus now falls on Kohli’s clearance and whether India can pair him with Rohit in a line-up led by Gill. For England, the squad announcement gives them an early view of the experience and bowling depth they will need to plan against in July.
