The first ODI of the series will be played in Birmingham on July 14.
Mohammad Kaif, former India batter, has welcomed the return of big guns like Virat Kohli in the Indian colors for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England. He stated that the return of the former captain was like a blessing for the Indian team, which lost the recent T20I series 0-4.
India is set to play three ODIs in England on July 14 in Birmingham, on July 16 in Cardiff and on July 19 at Lord’s. Shubman Gill will lead the Indian team in the ODIs, and this marks the return of Virat Kohli to the Indian team for the first time in six months, and Jasprit Bumrah will likely play his first ODI after the 2023 World Cup final.
Kaif stated that the squad is in a crisis and that head coach Gautam Gambhir, who has not yet won a game on the UK trip, will benefit from players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma being in strong form ahead of the ODI series.
"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.
In the T20I series, India had trouble bowling and batting. However, Kaif believed that the bowling would be much different with players like Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav in the ODI squad.
He asserted that India's performance in the ODI series would significantly differ from what was seen in the T20Is due to the presence of these experienced players.
"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,” Kaif added.
Mohammad Kaif touched upon the importance of having the backing from the team management following the T20I series loss.
"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.
After the England ODIs, India will travel to Zimbabwe for the three-match T20I series as well.