![Brendon McCullum and Virat Kohli [Source: AFP, x]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1783963834681_Virat_Kohli.jpg?type=hq)
Brendon McCullum and Virat Kohli [Source: AFP, x]
England will be taking on Team India in a series of three ODIs between July 14 and July 19 this week. The series will also mark the return of legendary modern-day batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the Indian national side, considering the two batting behemoths only play 50-overs internationals these days.
Ahead of Kohli’s much-awaited return after recovering from an injury he sustained in the IPL 2026 season, England’s white-ball coach Brendon McCullum made a rather cheeky remark about the Indian superstar.
Brendon McCullum praises Virat Kohli ahead of ODI series
While speaking with the ECB on their official website just a day prior to England’s series-opening first ODI, national white-ball coach Brendon McCullum praised Indian batting legend Virat Kohli.
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McCullum said “He’s a highly competitive person and I think he leaves nothing out on the field when he plays. He plays with a full heart and he’s an immense cricketer and he’s inspired a population of people to love cricket. He transcends the sport and he’s become a real rockstar, and is known not just in India but he’s known around the world and across various other sports.”
England coach jokingly predicts Kohli’s fate in series
Brendon McCullum also jokingly admitted that he wishes Virat Kohli to not score his runs in his same usual volume in the series against England.
The England coach further described Kohli as an “absolute champion” whose legacy will live on long after he retires from the game.
He added “When his time is up, his legacy will live on long after he’s played the game but I’d still like to see him get no runs in this series (laughs). But at the same time, we wish him well. He’s a real competitor and obviously an absolute champion as well.”
Virat Kohli regains lost form after Test retirement
Virat Kohli will enter the ODI series in England on the trail of a remarkable insurgence. In his last seven ODI innings for Team India, the legendary right-handed batter has mounted 616 runs at an unreal average of 123.2, plundering three hundreds and three fifties in the process.
Even in the recently-concluded IPL 2026 season, the 37-year-old racked up 675 runs in RCB’s historic title defence.
Given the form he is in, McCullum will surely be hoping that his tongue-in-cheek prediction somehow comes true over the next three ODIs.
India to take on England in three-match ODI series
After losing successive T20I series in Ireland and England over the past two weeks, Team India will now take on England in a three-match ODI series between July 14 and July 19 this week.
The first match of the series will be hosted by Edgbaston in Birmingham. The series serves as a testing ground for both sides in their road towards next year’s 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
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