Jasprit Bumrah will not be part of India’s ODI squad for the series against England, and his absence is going to be felt. The pacer is still recovering from a back spasm he sustained in the final Test against Australia. Even though everyone was expecting him to return, the BCCI confirmed that he would not be part of the squad, which has raised questions about his preparedness for the ICC Champions Trophy later this year.

Varun Chakravarthy has been brought in as a replacement for him, and his red-hot form has been utilized. The mystery spinner has been exceptional in the last few months, especially in the T20I series against England, where he finished as the leading wicket-taker with 14 scalps in five matches. His consistency throughout 2024 has been remarkable, with 17 wickets in just seven T20Is at an impressive average of 12.41.
Yet, despite his superb performances, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels Chakravarthy might not get a slot in India’s playing XI for the first ODI. Speaking about India’s probable playing eleven, Manjrekar felt that the spinner has improved in many ways and can challenge batters with the fearlessness that he has brought into his game.
ALSO READ: Sanjay Manjrekar Predicts India XI for 1st ODI vs England, Questions Varun Chakravarthy’s Inclusion
The 33-year-old hasn’t had an easy time during his resurgence. At one point, he was criticized for losing confidence when under pressure and, at times, resorting to defensive tactics. However, the recent performances have silenced the doubters, and Manjrekar praised him for his boldness.

“He’s been outstanding. A second five-wicket haul in T20 cricket is rare, and he’s managing to do that consistently. His biggest strength is pitching the ball up and forcing batters to take risks. Even after getting hit, he sticks to his attacking lengths, which makes him dangerous,” Sanjay Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo.
Meanwhile, Sanjay Manjrekar predicted India’s likely XI for the series opener, omitting Varun Chakravarthy despite his recent success.
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Predicted XI for India in the Nagpur ODI against England: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant(wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh.