There was immense excitement surrounding the upcoming India vs Afghanistan ODI series, as fans were eagerly waiting to see Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back in action for the Men in Blue. The three-match series was expected to mark India’s first major ODI assignment on the road to the 2027 ODI World Cup. However, ahead of the highly anticipated contest, Team India have reportedly suffered a massive setback with Kohli set to miss the series due to injury.
Virat Kohli, who has been in outstanding form across formats this year, was expected to lead India’s batting unit against a strong Afghanistan bowling attack. His experience and consistency were seen as crucial factors for India as they begin preparations for the next World Cup cycle. However, fresh reports suggest that the veteran batter has failed to recover in time and is unlikely to be available for selection.
Virat Kohli Ruled Out Of Afghanistan ODIs Due To Hamstring Injury
According to sports journalist Abhishek Tripathi, Kohli has been ruled out of the Afghanistan ODIs because of a hamstring injury sustained during the IPL 2026 final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans. The injury reportedly occurred during the latter stages of RCB’s run chase, but Kohli continued batting despite discomfort to help his side secure their maiden IPL title.
RCB’s medical staff attended to Kohli during the final, but the batter chose to play through the pain in one of the most important matches of his career. While his determination paid off with a championship-winning performance, the injury is now believed to have worsened, forcing him to miss India’s first ODI assignment after the IPL. The BCCI is yet to officially confirm the extent of the injury or announce a replacement for the series.
Kohli’s absence comes at a time when he has been enjoying one of the best white-ball phases of his career. During the ODI series against South Africa, he amassed 302 runs, including two magnificent centuries. He followed that up with another excellent series against New Zealand, scoring 240 runs in three matches and finishing with a brilliant hundred in the final ODI.
Kohli’s Stunning IPL 2026 Form Raises Expectations
The 37-year-old carried that momentum into IPL 2026, where he emerged as one of the standout performers of the tournament. Kohli accumulated 675 runs in 16 matches at a remarkable strike rate of 165.85 and capped off his campaign with an unbeaten 75 in the final. His performances had led many to believe that he would continue dominating in the Afghanistan series as well.
India’s injury concerns do not end with Kohli. Reports have also suggested that Rohit Sharma remains doubtful for the Afghanistan ODIs due to a hamstring injury suffered during Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2026 campaign. The Indian captain picked up the injury in a league-stage clash against RCB and subsequently missed several matches during the season.
Although Rohit eventually returned to action for Mumbai Indians, he was not fully fit and was primarily used as an Impact Player. His role was largely restricted to batting duties, indicating that he had not completely recovered from the injury. As a result, there are growing doubts over whether he will be available for the Afghanistan series.
If both Rohit and Kohli are unavailable, India could be forced to begin their ODI World Cup preparations without their two most experienced batters. Such a scenario would place greater responsibility on the younger members of the squad, while also providing an opportunity for emerging players to cement their places in the one-day setup.
India’s current ODI squad for the Afghanistan series includes Shubman Gill (captain), Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, and Harsh Dubey, alongside Rohit Sharma. However, all eyes will now be on the BCCI’s official updates regarding the fitness of Rohit and Kohli ahead of the series.