Indian cricket fans and the team management have received a significant setback ahead of the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. Star batter Virat Kohli has been ruled out of the upcoming series due to a hamstring injury, as reported by Dainik Jagran.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to make an official announcement regarding the same. It is yet to be seen that will they name a replacement for the stalwart or stars already in the team may replace him.
When Did the Injury Occur?
Kohli was last seen in action during the IPL 2026 final, where he played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Gujarat Titans. It is believed the hamstring injury was sustained during that match. Despite the injury concern, Kohli had produced a match-winning unbeaten knock of 75 runs in the final, single-handedly steering RCB to their second consecutive IPL title.
Across the entire IPL 2026 season, Kohli was in exceptional form, scoring 675 runs in 16 matches including one century, underlining why his absence from the Afghanistan series comes as such a painful blow for India.
A Series Fans Were Eagerly Anticipating
Following RCB’s championship triumph, all eyes had naturally turned to Kohli’s participation in the Afghanistan ODI series. His form and the momentum he carried from the IPL made him the most anticipated name on the teamsheet. That anticipation has now given way to disappointment, with the hamstring injury ruling him out of all three matches.
Full ODI Schedule
India and Afghanistan will also play a one-off Test match from June 6 to June 10 before the ODI series commences. The three ODIs are scheduled as follows:
First ODI: June 13, 2026, Dharamsala, 1:30 PM
Second ODI: June 17, 2026, Lucknow, 1:30 PM
Third ODI: June 20, 2026, Chennai, 1:30 PM
India’s Squad for the ODI Series
Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (Vice-Captain), KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Hardik Pandya.
Note: Kohli remains named in the squad as announced but has since been ruled out due to the hamstring injury sustained during the IPL 2026 final
Golden run
Across 16 innings for RCB, he accumulated 675 runs at an average of 56.25 and a strike rate of 165.84, including one century and five half-centuries. His ODI form heading into this series was equally impressive. Against New Zealand earlier this year he scored 240 runs across three innings at a strike rate of 105.26, a tally that included a century and a half-century. He had also demonstrated his hunger for runs on his return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2025-26, further reinforcing his readiness for international cricket across all formats.
Who Fills the Number Three Spot?
With Kohli’s absence confirmed, the spotlight now falls on who steps into the crucial number three position. Within the current squad, Ishan Kishan is the most immediate option for that role. Outside the squad, several names could be drafted in as cover, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson, all three of whom scored centuries in their most recent ODI innings. Tilak Varma, freshly appointed as India A captain for the tri-series in Sri Lanka, also presents himself as a viable middle-order option. An in-form Sai Sudharsan, who last featured in an ODI series back in 2023, is another name the selectors could consider.
