India squad for the three-match ODI sequence versus England was announced yesterday, and honestly it looks like a big thing for everyone. Virat Kohli is in the team, even if his inclusion still depends on fitness clearance , so there’s that small caveat. The former Indian captain actually missed the Afghanistan ODI series after picking up a hamstring injury during the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 final against Gujarat Titans. Kohli has recently arrived in Bengaluru to handle a fitness checkup at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE). As per reports , he has already gone through the necessary tests, and he should get the final go-ahead shortly, which means he could be available for the England series. Still, the BCCI hasn’t posted any official update yet about his comeback, so the confirmation is not fully locked in. Even so, the latest development is being treated as encouraging news for Indian cricket supporters, and they’re definitely hoping this one turns out well. Kohli is still one of India’s most dependable players in ODI cricket, in spite of everything, you know. Batting at No. 3, he keeps producing match-winning innings over the years, and in a way he’s become a key component of that whole lineup. Ever since he retired from both Test and T20I cricket, he’s kept his attention only on the 50-over game, which honestly just makes his ODI role stronger. But when Kohli was not around, Shubman Gill filled in at No. 3 in the second and third ODIs vs Afghanistan, while Ishan Kishan took that spot in the opening match. India handled the situation without much trouble, mainly because there was a clear gap in quality between the sides. Still, Kohli’s know-how and his knack for tackling tricky English conditions might end up mattering more than people expect in the next series. The veteran batter’s been on a really impressive streak lately. In recent months, he finished as India’s top run-scorer in the ODI series against both South Africa and New Zealand. Against the Proteas, Kohli made 302 runs with an outstanding average of 151.00. His sharp, relentless knocks helped India pull off a 2-1 series win, and that’s also how he received the Player of the Series award. Read also: ICC introduces new mandates for cricketers amid T20 Women's World Cup He kind of rode that momentum on against New Zealand, tallying 240 runs with an average that comes out to 80.00 over the full three match ODI stretch. There were key bits to it, like a match winning 93 in that first ODI and then, later on, a really well worked century 108 off 108 balls in the game that basically decided the series. Kohli also has a solid ODI record over in England. In 33 outings on English soil, he’s put away 1,349 runs, with his average sitting at something like 43.50. In his numbers there are 12 half centuries and just one century, which kind of shows he can adapt, and keep finding ways to score, even when the conditions feel a bit unfamiliar. The last time India lined up against England in an ODI series, Kohli only managed 17 and 16, so it was not exactly a smooth run for him. Still, he’ll be wanting to flip that script this time. With the 2027 ODI World Cup getting closer by the day, the star batter will be aiming to stack momentum and keep adding runs to his total, almost relentlessly. India ODI squad for the England tour: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli*, Shreyas Iyer (Vice-Captain), KL Rahul (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar. ODI series fixtures: 1st ODI – 14 July 2026, Edgbaston 2nd ODI – 16 July 2026, Sophia Gardens 3rd ODI – 19 July 2026, Lord's