“Was watching a movie last night” - Team India batter reveals he wouldn’t have played IND vs ENG 2025 1st ODI had Virat Kohli not got injured
In a surprising revelation, Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer said that he wouldn't have been part of the playing XI against England had it not been for Virat Kohli’s injury. He said it after the first ODI of the three-match series at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Thursday, February 6.
During the toss, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma announced that veteran batter Virat Kohli would miss the match due to a sore knee. Initially, it was believed that Yashasvi Jaiswal was the one who replaced the veteran in the playing XI.
However, Shreyas Iyer, who scored a brilliant fifty in the game, later revealed in a post-match interview with Star Sports that he was the one who replaced Kohli. He further shared that he was watching a movie when he found out he might be playing the following day. He said [as quoted by Indian Express]:
“I wasn’t supposed to play today. Virat unfortunately got injured and then I got the opportunity. I kept myself prepared. I knew that at any point of time I can get a chance to play. The same thing happened with me last year as well during the Asia Cup. I got injured and someone else came in and scored a century.”
“So, funny story. I was watching a movie last night, I thought I could extend my night, but then I got a call from skipper saying that you may play because Virat has got a swollen knee. And then [I] hurried back to my room, went off to sleep straight away,” he added.
When asked about Yashasvi Jaiswal being preferred over him in the starting lineup, the 30-year-old said:
“You know what you want me to say, but I'm going to keep it low-key and cherish this moment, the victory today.”
Meanwhile, Jaiswal had a tough debut, having been dismissed for 15 off 22 balls.
Shreyas Iyer’s stunning fifty set the tone for India in the 1st ODI against England
England won the toss and chose to bat first. The visitors were well on their way to posting a strong total, sitting comfortably at 170-4. However, Indian bowlers made a remarkable comeback in the second half of the innings, bowling England out for 248 in 47.4 overs. Jos Buttler (52) and Jacob Bethell (51) both scored fifties for England, while Harshit Rana and Ravindra Jadeja each took three wickets.
In response, India got off to a shaky start, losing Rohit Sharma (2) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (15) cheaply. However, Shreyas Iyer came in at number 4 and turned the game around with a brilliant counter-attacking innings. The Mumbai batter scored 59 off 36 balls, including nine fours and two sixes, and formed a crucial 94-run partnership with Shubman Gill for the third wicket.
Shubman played a brilliant innings of 87, while Axar Patel (52), batting at number 5, also contributed a fifty. With their combined efforts, the Men in Blue secured a four-wicket victory, chasing down the target with 68 balls remaining.