What happened the last time Virat Kohli played an ODI in Cuttack before IND vs ENG 2025?

Team India stalwart Virat Kohli will most probably play his first ODI of the year on Sunday, February 9, against England. The Barabati Stadium in Cuttack will host the second match of the three-match series between the two sides.

A knee niggle forced Kohli to sit out of the opening encounter in Nagpur on Thursday, February 6. In his absence, Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill shouldered the responsibility for India in the chase and set up a comfortable win.

The action now moves to Barabati Stadium in Cuttack this weekend, where Virat Kohli has scored only 118 runs across four ODI games at an average of 29.50, including a solitary half-century.

Kohli first played an ODI at the venue in 2011 against the West Indies, scoring only three runs. He then recorded two more low aggregates of 22 (21) and 8 (5) against Sri Lanka (2014) and England (2017). He performed better in his most recent outing at the Barabati Stadium in 2019. It was the third and final ODI of the bilateral series against the West Indies.

After being asked to bat first, the team from the Caribbean Island notched up a decent total of 315/5 in 50 overs on the back of a collective effort from their batting unit. Nicholas Pooran (89) and Keiron Pollard (74*) smashed aggressive half-centuries. Navdeep Saini (2/58) was the pick of the Indian bowlers.

Rohit Sharma (63) and KL Rahul (77) then put on a 122-run opening partnership, laying down the platform in the steep chase. However, wickets fell at regular intervals after that making things tricky for India. Captain Virat Kohli held one end and anchored the chase well with a magnificent knock of 85 (81) to take his team over the line and win the series by a 2-1 margin.

Kohli received the Player of the Match award for his match-winning batting performance in the second innings.

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"He will definitely be fit for the next game" - Shubman Gill's update about Virat Kohli after IND vs ENG 2025 1st ODI

Speaking to the broadcasters after the conclusion of the first ODI in Nagpur, Indian batter Shubman Gill revealed the reason behind Virat Kohli's absence and assured that he would return to action in the second match.

Gill said (via India Today):

"When he woke up in the morning, he had some swelling in his knee. He was fine till yesterday's practice session. There's nothing to worry. He will definitely be fit for the next game."

Shubman Gill played at the number three position in the Nagpur ODI and scored 87 runs in the chase, which won him the Player of the Match award.