India vs England ODI series squads: Full team list of both sides

MS Dhoni is going to be a major part of the India team for this three-match ODI series, but it is going to be a little weird, at least at first, to see the wicketkeeper-batsman plays as just that – a wicketkeeper-batsman.

India vs England ODI series schedule

After relinquishing his role as the India captain in limited-overs, Dhoni will now look to excel in just two departments, and hopefully, in his own inimitable, incomparable style.

Virat Kohli is the one who has been given the reins:

And while he is stepping into some rather large shoes, there really is nobody better than the batting phenom to take over. Kohli has been outstanding as a captain in Test cricket, and there is nothing to doubt that he won't bring that same winning mentality to the one-day game as well.

Kohli, however, will have plenty of experience to fall back on, including Dhoni. Apart from the former captain there is also Yuvraj Singh, for whom this series is a really important one.

After making another comeback into the India side, Yuvraj will want to make this one stick. While he might not be the marauder of old, there is still a fair few runs left in the left-hander and if Yuvraj can play a couple of big innings in this series against England, India will have a really good, experienced option to call upon during the Champions Trophy in the UK in June.

The India batting is fairly strong on paper:

Especially the top order. While Kohli is the undoubted best batsman in the world in ODI cricket – yes, yes, there is AB De Villiers, but Kohli is half a notch above even the great man at the moment – India have three solid options in the opening slot in this squad, and that is without Rohit Sharma in it.

As Rohit continues his recovery from injury, Shikhar Dhawan, who has lost his place in the Test side as well as the T20s, KL Rahul, who made such an impression against the West Indies in the USA, and Ajinkya Rahane will want to lock up a place for the Champions Trophy.

The middle order is quite solid with Dhoni, Yuvraj, Manish Pandey and Kedar Jadhav – Rahul might be used there as well – and the key for India winning this series will be their bowling.

Unlike the New Zealand series, the selectors have not rested any of the top bowlers, with R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja both playing, while the fast bowling burden will fall upon Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav, with Hardik Pandya also chipping in.

England's strength lies in their batting.

From Alex Hales and Jason Roy to Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow and Sam Billings, England have matchwinners everywhere. The key for these batsmen will be to find the right balance between attack and defence and refraining from playing daft shots against the spinners – if they manage that, they have a really good chance of winning this series.

ODI Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.

England: Eoin Morgan (C), Alex Hales, Jason Roy, Joe Root, Sam Billings, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes, Jake Ball, David Willey, Liam Plunkett.