Will Rohit Sharma play tomorrow: The Indian captain missed the recently concluded Test match due to COVID-19.
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England will host India for the first of a three-match T20I series just over 48 hours after the scheduled culmination of the recently concluded fifth Test match between these two teams.
A prime example of hectic scheduling in modern-day cricket can be observed from the fact that 22 completely different players from both the teams will take field in Southampton tomorrow.
Having last faced each other in the shortest format in India last year, an England vs India T20I will be played after more than 15 months.
Will Rohit Sharma play tomorrow T20I vs England?
India captain Rohit Sharma, who had missed the Birmingham Test due to COVID-19, will return to action on Thursday to lead India in six white-ball matches within 11 days.
Sharma, who had remained and trained with the Test squad, was earlier seen batting in the nets after recovering from COVID-19. Had Sharma participated in the Test match, even he would’ve missed the first T20I much like Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah.
In 11 T20Is against England, Sharma has scored 317 runs at an average of 39.62 and a strike rate of 143.43 with the help of a century and two half-centuries. In nine T20Is in England, Sharma’s 269 runs have come at an average and strike rate of 38.42 and 131.21 respectively.
Sharma, who has played a couple of Test matches and ODIs each at The Rose Bowl, has never played a T20I at this venue. Readers must also note that Sharma has never captained India in a T20I both against and in England.
Apart from taking over captaincy from all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Sharma will also join his Mumbai Indians opening partner Ishan Kishan at the top of the order in the first match. Sharma is almost certain of replacing Sanju Samson tomorrow.
