Virat Kohli Ruled Out Of India Vs Afghanistan ODI Series

Kohli ruled out vs Afghanistan [Source: AFP]

There was a buzz for the India vs Afghanistan ODI series, as the Indian fans would have witnessed Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in action. However, ahead of the marquee series, Team India has been dealt a huge injury jolt as Kohli has reportedly been ruled out of the Afghanistan ODIs.

Ahead of the 2027 World Cup, the India vs Afghanistan series was the first challenge for the Men in Blue, and Kohli, who was in red-hot form, was supposed to carry the batting mantle against the potent Afghanistan attack.

Hamstring injury rules Kohli out of Afghanistan ODIs

According to reports by Sports Journalist, Abhishek Tripathi, Kohli will not take part in the Afghanistan ODIs due to a hamstring injury he suffered in the IPL 2026 finals against the Gujarat Titans.

He sustained the injury towards the fag end of the RCB chase, and reportedly, it got aggravated as Kohli continued to play despite the injury. RCB physio attended to him during the IPL final vs GT, as Kohli persisted to play through pain, and he helped the team win the championship.

However, it seems the injury took a toll on him as the batter has failed to recover on time for the upcoming India vs Afghanistan ODIs. The BCCI are yet to confirm Kohli's replacement for the series.

Kohli's red-hot form halted before Afghanistan ODIs

Since the start of the year, the Indian legend has been in sensational white-ball form. He had scored a truckload of runs in the ODIs and in the IPL this year, and Kohli was touted to score a plethora of runs against the Afghans.

In the ODIs against South Africa at home, the veteran smashed 302 runs, including two stellar hundreds. In the following series against the Kiwis, he continued the rich vein of form and added 240 runs in 3 ODIs, with a brilliant hundred in the final game.

Also Read: RCB Batter Admits Striking A Friendship With Virat Kohli In IPL 2026

Moreover, that same ODI form was carried in the IPL 2026 season for RCB, as the opener whacked 675 runs in 16 games, with a staggering strike rate of 165.85. He also managed to score a match-winning 75* in the IPL final, a match that ended his dream to play in the ODIs vs the Afghanistan side.

Rohit Sharma also doubtful for India vs Afghanistan ODIs

Several reports have also added that not only Virat Kohli, but his teammate, Rohit Sharma, is also doubtful for the India vs Afghanistan ODI series. Just like Kohli, Rohit sustained a hamstring injury during the IPL 2026 league stage game against the RCB team.

He missed several IPL matches for the Mumbai Indians, and even when he made his return, Rohit was not one hundred percent fit as he only participated as an impact player and only played as a pure batter.

Not official as of yet, but Rohit could also be on the sidelines as India’s quest for the 2027 World Cup begins against the Afghans.

India's updated ODI squad for Afghanistan series

Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer (VC), KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey

Also Read: Virat Kohli’s 100 Centuries Dream Alive As New Tournament Gathers Pace Before 2027 World Cup