On February 8, in the pre-match press conference, the batting coach of the team, Sitangshu Kotak, had hinted at Shreyas Iyer's unavailability in the second match at Cuttack, on February 9. Kotak, in the press conference, has revealed that it was both Rohit Sharma's and Gautam Gambhir's call to play Yashasvi Jaiswal. Thus, Shreyas Iyer was an automatic choice for the reserve bench. Earlier, after the first ODI, Iyer, after a blistering 59-run knock, had revealed that he got a late-night call for the match the next day. To the presenters' shock, it got to know, not Jaiswal, but he was the replacement for injured Kohli. It was quite natural for anyone to think that Iyer was an obvious choice, but him coming as a replacement has bewildered everyone. With Kohli coming in, Iyer might be sidelined, considering Jaiswal has a stronger backing. Read also: Watch: Phillips' Brilliant Catch Shocks the Gaddafi Crowd Kotak confirms Kohli in second ODI, backs Rohit Sharma Sitanshu Kotak confirmed that Virat Kohli is fit to feature in the second ODI against England on February 9 at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Kotak said, “Virat Kohli is fit to play. He has come for practice and is good to go." Earlier, Shubman Gill, Player of the Match in the first ODI, had also provided a similar update, stating that Kohli had experienced mild knee swelling but was set to return. If Kohli plays, and if the management behaves sensibly without experimenting much, Yashasvi Jaiswal may be axed, with Gill moving up the order, partnering Rohit Sharma. India will aim to secure the series ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy. Meanwhile, Kotak dismissed concerns about Rohit Sharma’s form despite his struggles in recent innings. He emphasized that Rohit had been consistent in previous ODIs and that his experience spoke for itself. He asserted, “We are talking about a player with 31 ODI hundreds. He scored 56, 64, and 35 in his last three ODIs. A slight lean patch doesn’t change that.”