Several first-team stars like Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and Shreyas Iyer will be a part of India’s squad for the second and third T20Is vs England. Rohit Sharma and co will play Jos Buttler’s men at Edgbaston on Saturday and then Trent Bridge on Sunday. They lead the series 1-0. 

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While skipper Rohit Sharma will be spoilt for choices as he and coach Rahul Dravid pick the playing 11 for the second game, a big challenge awaits Kohli. The BCCI has reportedly taken a ‘perform or perish’ approach for the former India captain. As per reports, the 33-year-old’s performance in the two games against England will determine if he continues playing T20Is. 

“He has been a great servant of the Indian cricket. Without doubt one of the best. But his struggle for form and runs is now alarming. Selectors need to select people on form not on reputation. I am no authority but he needs to get his groove back soon. Perform or Perish has to be a way forward on him. I guess selectors will look for options before the T20 World Cup if he don’t get runs in England”, a BCCI official told InsideSport.

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However, one big question is: Who does Kohli replace?

The Indian team was on fire in the first T20I. Hardik Pandya reigned supreme with one of the finest all-round performances in recent times as the visitors bossed England to emerge winners by 50 runs. 

Pandya made a half-century and picked four wickets. Along with him, the likes of Deepak Hooda and Suryakumar Yadav fired.

Hooda, who would ideally by a like for like replacement option if Kohli comes in, scored 33 runs in 17 balls at a strike rate of more than 194. Surya smashed four boundaries and two maximums during his 19-ball 39. Dropping the two doesn’t seem like a viable option currently. 

If India decide to retain Hooda, then Kohli could open alongisde skipper Rohit Sharma at the expense of Ishan Kishan, who has also been consistent at the top.

The opening position is something Kohli is quite familiar and his last half-century in T20 Internationals also came at the top.

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With Kohli expected to take another break for the five T20s against the West Indies, the two games against England assume more importance as far as his future in the T20 set up is concerned.

Kohli has ‘been there and done that’ but with the younger lot playing fearless cricket, he will need to come back to his best.

It seemed India were a batter short in the series-opener though they ended up with 198. Jadeja is a like for like replacement for Axar Patel and his inclusion also makes the batting unit more solid.

Squads: India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik.

England: Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Richard Gleeson, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Tymal Mills, Matthew Parkinson, Jason Roy, Phil Salt, Reece Topley and David Willey.