Packed Cuttack crowd goes berserk as Virat Kohli walks out to bat on eve of 2nd IND vs ENG ODI 2025 [Watch]

A jam-packed Barabati Stadium in Cuttack made their presence felt during Team India's training session ahead of the second ODI against England. The Indian players were wildly cheered as they prepared for the upcoming clash, but the biggest roar was reserved for Virat Kohli when he turned up for the net session.

The ace batter had missed the first ODI in Nagpur due to a knee injury but has recovered to be available for the upcoming match. His arrival brought a surge in the excitement levels, and he responded with his usual array of flashy strokes.

In a brief snippet shown by the BCCI, he took on the spinners, charged at them, and stepped down the track.

"We didn't expect this. Came here into the dressing room and suddenly felt like we have lost track of days and forgot that it is a game day. That is how the energy and the vibe was. Just to have so many people come in even though it is just a practice session was something different," KL Rahul said of the lively atmosphere in Cuttack in a video released by the BCCI.

The Barabati Stadium is hosting an international match for the first time since 2022. The venue had witnessed the second T20I between India and South Africa, where the latter won by four wickets in a thrilling contest. As far as ODIs are concerned, the venue last hosted one in 2019 during the West Indies tour of India.

Virat Kohli averages 29.50 in four ODIs at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack

The ace batter has played four matches at the venue in Cuttack, scoring 118 runs at an average of 29.50 and a strike rate of 104.42. He had a poor start, recording two single-digit scores in his first three outings, but scored a brilliant 85 runs off 81 deliveries in the last ODI hosted by the venue in 2019.

Kohli will be on the lookout to make the most of the valuable game time ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025. He does not come into the series with form by his side as he recorded a poor Border-Gavaskar campaign and returned a poor score in his Ranji Trophy return.