3 unanswered questions from India's ODI squad for England

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India's squad for the ODI series against England on Sunday, June 21. India will play a three-match ODI series in England, beginning on July 14. Several senior players marked their return as India build up to the next World Cup in 2027. 

All-rounder Axar Patel and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah made a comeback into the team, while Virat Kohli has also been included. Fans were happy with the return of several stars, but there were some question marks on the absence of a few notable players as well. Here are three unanswered questions after India's squad announcement:

1. Virat Kohli’s fitness

The star batter was initially named in the squad for the ODI series against Afghanistan. However, he was eventually ruled out after suffering a hamstring injury while playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) final. While Kohli is named in the squad for the England series, his availability is subject to fitness. 

2. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s snub

Jaiswal scored a spectacular hundred in the last ODI against Afghanistan, playing a magnificent innings of 110* (86), laced with 14 fours and three sixes and guided India to a dominant nine-wicket win. In the six ODI matches played so far in his career, Jaiswal has already scored two centuries. However, he still wasn’t considered for selection for the England series, a decision which didn’t sit well with many.

3. No update on Hardik Pandya

BCCI’s treatment of Hardik Pandya over the past few months has raised several questions. First, he wasn’t picked in the T20I squads for the Ireland and England tours, as well as the Asian Games 2026. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar had revealed that the board wants him to focus more on ODIs, with the World Cup scheduled next year.

He missed Afghanistan ODIs due to fitness concerns, but the board didn’t provide any update on his progress. His name is again missing from the squad for the England series, raising question marks on the board’s transparency.