India vs England 2026 Best Predicted ODI Squad List: Will Virat Kohli return?
Will Virat Kohli make a potential comeback from his hamstring injury? Let’s find out in the India vs England 2026 Best Predicted ODI Squad List.
Key Takeaways
- Virat Kohli is expected to return for the India vs England ODI series if he fully recovers from his hamstring injury.
- Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and other senior ODI stars could return after being rested for the Afghanistan series.
- Gurnoor Brar has strengthened his case for selection after an impressive performance against Afghanistan.
- Rohit Sharma’s ODI future remains a major talking point, but India currently lacks a ready-made replacement for the veteran opener.
Imagine playing only one format for the Indian team, and then missing even that due to injury. Yes, that’s the state of Virat Kohli, who is currently nursing a hamstring injury, and has already missed the India vs Afghanistan ODI series. Fans across the world were eagerly waiting for Virat Kohli’s comeback in international cricket. But a minor hamstring injury in the IPL 2026 final shattered that comeback, and the wait has become even longer.
But will Virat Kohli make a comeback in the ODI series against England? The ODI series against England begins on July 14, and there are only a few weeks left. Given the timeline, the hamstring injury should more or less recover by then, giving Virat Kohli a solid platform for a comeback. Even though Virat Kohli was recently seen in IPL 2026, the excitement surrounding his international return will always remain paramount.
Given that England are a strong side, India may not experiment as they did against Afghanistan, where most of the quality players were rested. So, alongside Virat Kohli, expect a few more international stars to return. With the vision of the ODI World Cup 2027 in sight, India may want to play a full‑fledged squad that could likely replicate the mega tournament. So, let’s review the potential players list and find out the India vs England 2026 best predicted ODI squad.
India vs England 2026 Best Predicted ODI Squad Explained
Starting with the players who may unfortunately have to miss out, with the return of a few ODI specialists, we have Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harsh Dubey, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, and Ashok Sharma. Aside from Yashasvi Jaiswal, the other four players were included in the Afghanistan series only as part of a backup check. While dropping Yashasvi Jaiswal would be harsh, since Hardik returns, India can afford to make that decision. If they still plan to include Jaiswal, he can be the 16th member of the squad.
With these five players gone, who takes their place? Well, Hardik Pandya comes in for Yashasvi Jaiswal to bolster the batting and finishing duties. Ravindra Jadeja comes in for Harsh Dubey, Harshit Rana comes in for Ashok Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah comes in for Prasidh Krishna. Jadeja, Hardik, and Bumrah are an integral part of the ODI setup, and India would want to test them against a strong side like England. However, there could be a possibility of Bumrah being rested again. In that case, one of Prasidh or Prince may continue.
One player who impressed with his performance in the Afghanistan ODI series is Gurnoor Brar. Given his pace and height, Gurnoor has looked mighty impressive, hitting the deck hard and in the right channels. Since he came in as a replacement for Mohammed Siraj, the BCCI may still want to continue with Gurnoor for one more series. In case Siraj is also included, it shouldn’t be at the expense of Arshdeep. Gurnoor bowls in the middle overs, and that is a big ask for a pacer, unlike Siraj, who bowls primarily in the Powerplay.
Should Rohit Sharma Be Part of India’s ODI World Cup 2027 Plans?
One important discussion that the selectors will be having in their next meeting is whether Rohit Sharma should continue to remain a part of the ODI setup, given that he will be 40 before the next World Cup and has already shown signs of fitness issues and injuries. Well, this isn’t a straightforward answer, but we need to ask – if not Rohit Sharma, then who for 2027 World Cup?
This is the question that doesn’t have a proper answer yet. Rohit’s backup, Yashasvi Jaiswal, hasn’t quite lived up to expectations in this format so far. There is also Vaibhav Suryavanshi waiting in the ranks to grab this spot. But neither of them is the answer to Rohit’s exclusion at this stage. So, it wouldn’t be prudent for Team India to drop Rohit once and for all and select either of these two players.
India vs England 2026 Best Predicted ODI Series Squad List
Batters
- Rohit Sharma
- Shreyas Iyer (vc)
- Shubman Gill (c)
- Virat Kohli
Wicket-keepers
- Ishan Kishan
- KL Rahul
All-rounders
- Hardik Pandya
- Nitish Reddy
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Washington Sundar
Bowlers
- Arshdeep Singh
- Harshit Rana
- Gurnoor Brar
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Kuldeep Yadav
So, that’s about the India vs England 2026 ODI best squad and predicted players list. Overall, India will want to play a strong squad, as there are very few ODIs left before the 2027 ODI World Cup. However, the main questions will still remain. Will Virat Kohli recover from his hamstring injury and join the team? Will Jasprit Bumrah be rested again, or will he be recalled to the side against a strong England team? Also, will Rohit Sharma continue to be a part of the ODI side?
India vs England 2026 Official ODI Series Schedule
- 1st ODI Match, June 14 @ Birmingham, 3:30 pm IST
- 2nd ODI Match, July 16 @ Cardiff, 5:30 pm IST
- 3rd ODI Match, July 19 @ Lord’s, 3:30 pm IST
Thanks for reading! Do you agree with our predicted India vs England 2026 ODI squad? Will Rohit Sharma face the axe? Please share your thoughts at business@cricalytics.com.
