Virat Kohli's Replacement Announced In India's ODI Squad Vs Afghanistan

Kohli's replacement announced in ODI squad [Source: AFP]

With the IPL 2026 over, the Indian side can now concentrate on the upcoming Afghanistan series, as the two teams will lock horns in a one-off Test match and three ODI games. The ODIs provide Team India a chance to set their combination right for the 2027 World Cup, but even before a single ball has been delivered, the ODI setup has been jolted with an injury.

India’s star batter, Virat Kohli, has been ruled out of the series, as the player sustained a hamstring injury during the IPL 2026 finals against the Gujarat Titans. Kohli has been advised a minimum of two weeks of rest, and even though he might be available for the third ODI, the management won’t take any risk.

How Kohli suffered a hamstring injury in IPL final

Kohli was on the field for almost 40 overs in the IPL 2026 finals, as he fielded first, and then batted for the entire time as RCB defeated the Titans to clinch their second IPL championship. During the finale, Kohli injured his hamstring, but he ignored the pain to help his side clinch the trophy.

RCB team physio helped Kohli to stay on the field, and the legendary batter continued to toil hard on the field as his injury aggravated. Reportedly, on the next day, he woke up with a stiffness, and was ruled out of the Afghanistan ODI matches.

Gaikwad to replace injured Virat Kohli

According to reports by the Express Sports, CSK and Maharashtra batter, Ruturaj Gaikwad, will replace the injured Virat Kohli in the ODIs vs Afghanistan. The selection committee will make a last-minute change in the squad, and an official announcement will be made soon.

Gaikwad was earlier added to the India A squad as he replaced the injured Riyan Parag in the squad, but now, the Maharashtra batter will play a key role in the ODI games against the Afghans.

Also Read: Team India Issues Official Statement On Virat Kohli's Injury

In the last ODI series that Gaikwad played, the right-handed batter slammed a century, and made a solid statement.

What happened the last time Gaikwad featured in an ODI series

He last featured in the ODIs against the South African side at home, as he replaced the injured Shreyas Iyer in the playing XI. The right-handed batter made the most of his opportunity as he scored 113 runs in 3 matches, and it also included a brilliant 105 in the second ODI of the series.

He was not required to bat in the third ODI, and despite a solid series, the Maharashtra player was not picked in the following series against the Kiwis.

Why Gaikwad is the perfect Virat Kohli replacement

Gaikwad is certainly a like-for-like Virat Kohli replacement in the ODI squad. Both players have a similar skillset and have the same mindset for ODI cricket. Kohli loves to deal in singles and doubles, with occasional boundaries in the initial few overs.

Similarly, Gaikwad believes in running between the wickets, and plays grounded strokes as his gameplay relies on quick running.

Hence, the 29-year-old is the perfect player to replace Kohli in the ODI squad vs the Afghanistan side.

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