Fans at Nagpur's VCA Stadium were hit with a big letdown when they found out that Virat Kohli wouldn't be playing in Thursday's first ODI of the three-match series against England. Kohli was all set to make his ODI return since last August, but a sore knee put a stop to those plans. The specifics of the injury were unclear, but the only issue linked to Kohli in the past couple of weeks was his neck, which wasn't fully healed, leading him to miss Delhi's Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra.

Leading up to the game, Kohli seemed fine. In fact, it was just the night before that he started feeling some discomfort in his right knee. India had a light net session on Wednesday evening, but Kohli was absent. Unfortunately, his knee had swollen, which left him uncertain for the match, and he ultimately couldn't get back to full fitness. This was confirmed just a few overs into England's innings when Deep Dasgupta and Ravi Shastri shared some interesting insights.

"Something went wrong last night," Dasgupta mentioned, to which Shastri added, "I heard there was swelling in his knee."

Is Kohli going to be ready for the 2nd ODI in Cuttack?

Just before the toss, Kohli was spotted doing some warm-up drills, but he didn’t seem too comfortable. His movements were a bit stiff, and he looked less spry than usual. His right leg was all taped up, which pretty much confirms that his knee isn’t in great shape. We all know Kohli and injuries don’t usually mix. He hardly ever gets hurt, and there’s a reason he’s considered the fittest cricketer out there. Just a couple of days ago, he was showing off his abs! But sometimes, things just don’t go your way.

As for whether Kohli will be ready for the Cuttack ODI, it’s hard to say. He was out there on the field, giving it his all to make it into India’s lineup. With Jasprit Bumrah already out, India really can’t afford to lose another star player. They need Kohli to step up for the Champions Trophy, and while having him back for the last two ODIs would be great, it shouldn’t come at the cost of his health. Even if he’s only 90 percent fit, that might not be the best situation for him or the team.

Read Also: Harshit Rana Makes History: First Indian with Three Wickets on Debut Across Formats

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