IND vs ENG 2022, 1st ODI: Kohli doubtful after groin strain, 3 likely candidates to replace him

Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli is doubtful for the opening One-Day International (ODI) against England, set to be held at The Oval in London on Tuesday. The top-order batter has already been out of form for the last two and a half years, while the niggle is only likely to make things worse for him. As a result, he will be granted a forced break so that he recovers enough to be fit for the remaining two games after Tuesday. "Virat has a groin strain during the last game. It can't be confirmed whether it happened during fielding or while batting. He will probably miss the first ODI tomorrow at Oval as the groin needs rest," a BCCI official was quoted as telling PTI. Meanwhile, here are his three likely replacements:

Ishan Kishan
Kishan has been in a refined form of late, especially in the shortest format. However, Shikhar Dhawan has been better in ODIs, resulting in the former being rested for the 50-over structure. Yet, Kohli's injury could very likely bring Kishan into the equation. It would be interesting to see if he opens the batting alongside skipper Rohit Sharma or bat at number three. Also, Rohit could ponder dropping himself to number three.

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Shreyas Iyer
Another ideal replacement could be Iyer. While he has been a regular in the T20Is, following the arrival of Dhawan and Kohli being retained, along with Suryakumar Yadav's deadly form, he was not a first-choice selection. However, Kohli's rest will undoubtedly be a significant reason to bring Iyer back into the fray. Also, being an established number four batter, the team management would not mind having him at number three to check how he fits into the role, considering Kohli's poor form.

Axar Patel
Another unorthodox choice could be in the form of an all-rounder. Axar has been in an acceptable condition in the T20s. However, he can be a valuable addition to the ODI XI, given his experience of playing the format the most for Team India. It could also mean having an extra spin option in hand, which could find success on the slick surface of The Oval.