Fri Feb 07 01:46:12 UTC 2025: ## Kohli’s Absence and Iyer’s Surprise Inclusion Highlight India’s First ODI Win
**Cuttack, India** – India’s opening One Day International (ODI) victory against England on Thursday, February 6th, was marked by the surprising omission of Virat Kohli from the playing XI, despite the debut of Yashasvi Jaiswal. The reason for Kohli’s absence, and the subsequent inclusion of Shreyas Iyer, was revealed post-match by Iyer himself.
Iyer, who scored a quick-fire 59 runs off just 36 balls, including nine fours and two sixes, stated that he was informed only the night before the match by captain Rohit Sharma that he would be playing due to Kohli’s knee injury. This revelation surprised many, including commentator Parthiv Patel, who believed Jaiswal’s inclusion was directly linked to Kohli’s unavailability. Iyer’s impressive performance, following a string of high-scoring innings (545 runs in his last 10 ODIs, at an average of 60.6 and a strike rate of 127), raises questions about the team management’s selection strategy.
Iyer’s comments also hinted at a planned opening partnership of Rohit Sharma and Jaiswal, with Shubman Gill at number three and Kohli at number four, once fit. The unexpected last-minute change to the batting order saw Iyer coming to the crease with India struggling at 19/2 in the 5.2nd over. He subsequently shared a crucial 94-run partnership with Gill, helping to stabilize the innings.
The omission of a consistently high-performing player like Iyer in favor of Jaiswal (with Kohli injured) is being viewed as a bold strategic choice by the team management, and further insights are awaited on their future plans. The second ODI between India and England will be played in Cuttack. The reason for Virat Kohli’s absence is expected to be further clarified by the team.
**(Note: The unrelated section about Neem Karoli Baba has been omitted from this news article.)**
First Piper 