Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been India’s biggest pillars in ODI cricket for more than a decade. But the second ODI against England in Cardiff painted contrasting pictures of the two veterans, with Kohli returning to form while Rohit’s struggles continued.
Kohli struck a fluent 65 to steady India’s innings after early setbacks, while Rohit managed 26 off 47 balls before falling to Will Jacks, extending his disappointing start to the three-match series.
IND vs ENG, 2nd ODI: Updates | Scorecard
For Rohit, the dismissal capped another frustrating outing. England’s bowlers kept him under pressure from the outset, drying up the scoring opportunities and forcing him into an unusually cautious innings. His 26 came off 47 deliveries, making it the slowest ODI innings of his career among knocks of 25 or more runs.
It was a far cry from the fearless batting that has defined Rohit’s success as one of the greatest ODI openers. Instead of dictating terms in the powerplay, he found himself tied down by disciplined bowling, struggled to rotate the strike and never looked settled at the crease.
The lack of fluency is becoming difficult to ignore. Rohit arrived in England after a respectable IPL 2026 campaign, scoring 283 runs in nine innings despite fitness concerns. He followed that up with scores of 48 and 79 in the ODI series against Afghanistan, suggesting he could still give India solid starts at the top.
Against England, however, it has been a different story. In the first two ODIs, the former India captain has been unable to impose himself against a bowling attack that has consistently denied him the freedom to play his natural game.
While Rohit struggled for rhythm, Kohli looked comfortable from the moment he walked to the crease.
The former India captain got off the mark with a trademark straight drive off Jofra Archer before unfurling a series of authoritative boundaries. He drove Gus Atkinson through the covers, whipped him over mid-on with ease and cut Adil Rashid behind point as England found it difficult to contain him once he settled.
Kohli reached his 78th ODI half-century, taking his tally of 50-plus scores in the format to 132. It was also his 14th score of fifty or more against England in ODIs, drawing level with Sir Vivian Richards and leaving only Kumar Sangakkara ahead on the all-time list.
The innings carried added significance as Kohli also became India’s highest run-scorer in international cricket in England. Needing just four runs before the match to surpass Rahul Dravid’s tally of 2645, Kohli moved to the top of the list with 2646 runs. Only Sir Vivian Richards, with 3402 runs, has scored more international runs in England among overseas batters.
Kohli’s innings ended on 65 when Archer induced a leading edge, with Adil Rashid completing the catch at deep third. Archer had earlier celebrated Kohli’s wicket, but television replays showed the ball had bounced before reaching wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.
There was another milestone for India’s senior duo as Rohit and Kohli crossed 8000 partnership runs across formats, becoming only the third Indian pair to reach the landmark.
Their stand helped India recover after the early wickets, but it also underlined the contrasting form of the team’s two senior batters. While Kohli looked assured throughout his stay at the crease, Rohit endured another innings in which timing and fluency eluded him.
As India continue their build-up to the 2027 ODI World Cup, Kohli’s return to form offers encouragement. Rohit, however, will be eager to rediscover his rhythm before the series concludes.
– Ends
