Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, India, is all set to welcome the second ODI match of the three-part series between India and England, and the whole cricket fraternity will be in the spotlight. The contest, which is scheduled to kick off at 2 PM IST on Sunday, February 9, 2025, certainly is full of suspense due to some early happenings. India, which has won the first ODI in Nagpur convincingly, is hoping for a series win to start the year on a positive note. Furthermore, the home team will be even more hopeful with the recovery of their main batsman, Virat Kohli, who has finally overcome a knee injury and is ready to take on the team again.
“One of the most remarkable facts about today’s game is the ODI debut of Varun Chakravarthy, the 33-year-old leg-spinner who has been a sensation in the T20 format.” Chakravarthy’s participation in the playing XI is making him the second-oldest player starting in ODIs for India since the team’s inaugural one-day international in 1974. His choice was based on an excellent performance he had during the last T20 series against England, where he got a total of 14 wickets. The coach’s decision to bench left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav is good as it gives Chakravarthy the necessary space to play his first game for India, which also alters India’s attacking plans.
The Indian team will have the shoulder of the captain, Rohit Sharma, to lean on as they will be counting on their crusade from the first ODI. Shreyas Iyer’s smashing half-century in Nagpur has etched out a niche for him at number four, whereas Shubman Gill is the one who most efficiently takes care of the team’s opening. Besides, an issue that is on the mind of the team is Rohit Sharma’s form, he hasn’t scored any runs in the last matches played in different formats. Both the team staff and the fans stand with bated breath as they desperately yearn for Rohit Sharma to recover his splendid form, the ICC Champions Trophy is nearly at hand
On the other hand, they will be desperate to level the series and keep their hopes alive. The visitors have changed their team and signed Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, and Jamie Overton as replacements. Jacob Bethell’s hamstring injury and Jofra Archer’s rest were the reason for these changes. Unto this point, England has been unable to cope with spinners’ performance in the country. Over the last few weeks, they have been bothered constantly. Their captain, Jos Buttler, will need to think of inventive ways to counter spin and also take the lead from his teammates to get the job done against India’s trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Chakravarthy.
The key factor for the pitch at the Barabati Stadium is its assumption that it will have a great impact on the match’s outcome. The bad-tasting soil looks to be playing as a factor in the game, affecting mainly the inconsistence bounce when the game advances. Spin is expected to become a vital element with the scorching sun in good spirits; thus, Indian bowlers may have an advantage. Regardless of the fact that the square boundaries are short, there should be the possibility for batsmen on both teams to score free. Thus, the game is setting itself up for a high-scoring affair. As the players get prepared to hit the field, fans of cricket all around the globe are excitedly waiting for the forthcoming enthralling fight between two big cricketing teams.