India has been forced into a late change for their upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan, with Virat Kohli unavailable due to a hamstring injury.
The experienced batter aggravated the issue during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victorious IPL 2026 final against the Gujarat Titans, where he played a decisive unbeaten knock of 75.
Medical assessments have since confirmed that he will not recover in time for the three-match series.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar indicated that Kohli is likely to return for India’s ODI assignments against England in July, although the exact timeline for his recovery remains uncertain.
Yashasvi Jaiswal has been named as Kohli’s replacement following his impressive performances in recent months.
The left-handed opener last featured in an ODI against South Africa in December 2025, producing an unbeaten 116 in Visakhapatnam. That innings marked his maiden international century in the 50-over format and strengthened his credentials for a recall.
Selectors believe his inclusion adds depth and flexibility to India’s batting line-up ahead of the Afghanistan series.
India is also monitoring the fitness of Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya before finalising their plans for the series.
Pandya is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. A back injury forced him to miss several matches during IPL 2026.
Rohit is expected to report to the Centre of Excellence in the coming days. He is recovering from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the latter part of the Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2026 campaign.
According to Agarkar, both players will need to obtain the required medical clearance before being considered available for selection.
ODI Series Schedule
The ODI series will get underway in Dharamsala on 13 June. The remaining matches will be played in Lucknow and Chennai on 17 and 20 June, respectively.
Once the Afghanistan series concludes, the selectors will shift their focus to the next assignment. They are expected to announce India’s squad for the ODI series against England later this summer.
Also Read: KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan Put India In Control Against Afghanistan At Tea
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