Rohit and Kohli sharpen skills in nets ahead of England ODI series opener, watch video here

India’s star batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli displayed a wide range of shots during an intense net session as they prepared for the first ODI against England in Nagpur. The duo, considered modern-day greats, were seen sweating it out in a practice session, as shown in a video posted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

📍 Nagpur

Gearing up for the #INDvENG ODI series opener..

..in Ro-Ko style 😎#TeamIndia | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @ImRo45 | @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/gR2An4tTk0

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 5, 2025

The upcoming series provides both players an opportunity to bounce back from a disappointing Test season. The 2024-25 season was particularly tough for Rohit and Kohli in red-ball cricket. Rohit struggled significantly, scoring only 164 runs in eight matches across 15 innings at a dismal average of 10.93, with his highest score being 52. Meanwhile, Kohli fared slightly better but still fell short of his usual standards, amassing 382 runs in 10 Tests over 19 innings at an average of 22.87, with just one century and a single half-century.

Their struggles extended to domestic cricket as well. Rohit made his return to the Ranji Trophy against Jammu and Kashmir but managed just 3 and 28 runs in two innings. Kohli, playing his first Ranji match in 12 years against Railways, scored only six runs before being clean-bowled by Himanshu Sangwan.

Kohli’s form in international cricket last year was also underwhelming. He finished 2024 with just 655 runs in 23 matches across 32 innings, averaging 21.83, with one century and two fifties. His best score in the calendar year was an unbeaten 100.

However, Rohit enjoyed relative success in white-ball cricket. He had a stellar T20 season, leading India to a T20 World Cup victory while accumulating 378 runs in 11 matches at an impressive average of 42.00 and a strike rate of 160.16. His performances included a century and three half-centuries, with a highest score of 121. In the T20 World Cup, Rohit finished as India’s top scorer and the tournament’s second-highest run-getter, with 257 runs in eight matches at an average of 36.71 and a strike rate of 156.70.

Rohit’s ODI appearances last year were limited to just three matches against Sri Lanka, where he scored 157 runs at an average of 52.33 and a strike rate of 141.44. His performances included two half-centuries, with a top score of 64.

Despite recent struggles, Kohli remains one of the most dominant batters in ODI cricket. Since the start of 2023, he has amassed 1,435 runs in 30 ODIs at an average of 65.22, with six centuries and eight fifties. His best score during this period was an unbeaten 166, and he maintained a strike rate of 98.42. Kohli was also the highest run-scorer in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, topping both the tournament and all-time run charts with 765 runs in 11 matches at a staggering average of 95.62. His performances included three centuries and six half-centuries, earning him the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award.

However, his most recent ODI outings against Sri Lanka last year were below expectations, where he managed just 58 runs in three innings, with a top score of 24.