Virat Kohli Injury - (Source: AFP)
On Thursday, Team India dealt a heavy blow after Virat Kohli got ruled out of the upcoming Afghanistan ODIs. Notably, the 37-year-old suffered an injury during the IPL 2026 final, where he stayed until the end and guided RCB to their 2nd IPL title.
India will host Afghanistan for 3 ODIs starting from June 13. Earlier, it was assumed that Virat Kohli had suffered a routine hamstring injury and would return to action after the Afghanistan series. However, the latest scans revealed an injury more serious than earlier thought.
Virat Kohli Suffers Rare Distal Semimembranosus Tendon Tear
In the latest events, it has been revealed that Virat Kohli is suffering from a rare injury, which is quite uncommon for athletes. The scans revealed the injury to be a distal semimembranosus tendon tear.
One of the reasons why Virat Kohli has suffered this rare injury could be because he pushed his body in the IPL 2026 final and continued to bat despite injury and pain. For the unversed, chasing a small target of 155, Virat Kohli stayed until the last, but got injured mid-match and was seen limping in the business end of the IPL final.
The physios attended to the 37-year-old several times and might have even urged the veteran to walk out, but Virat continued, which led to this Distal Semimembranosus Tendon Tear.
The fans are worried because a hamstring injury isn’t usually this serious, but now they are clueless about the fresh blow. Therefore, this article will shed more light on the Distal Semimembranosus Tendon Tear and what is the recovery time from this injury.
What Is a Distal Semimembranosus Tendon Tear, and Why Is It Rare?
A distal semimembranosus tendon tear is a rupture of the lower hamstring tendon near the back of the knee. Virat Kohli sustained this rare hamstring injury during the IPL 2026 final while playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
The Muscle: The semimembranosus is one of the three main hamstring muscles running down the back of your thigh. It is essential for bending the knee and extending the hip.
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The Location: "Distal" means the tear occurred at the lower end of the tendon, right where it attaches to the tibia (shinbone) behind the knee joint.
Why is the injury rare?
The semimembranosus tendon near the knee is extremely thick and robust, heavily anchored to the bone. Hamstring injuries typically happen much higher up (closer to the glutes) or in the mid-thigh during explosive sprinting.
What Is The Recovery Period From Distal Semimembranosus Tendon Tear?
Non-Surgery Recovery
For partial tears, mild strains, or complete tears with minimal retraction, nonsurgical treatment is often the preferred route. Return to full activity, and sports is typically possible in 1.5 to 3 months as reported by National Institute of Health.
Surgical Recovery
If the tendon is completely torn, detached from the bone (avulsion), or significantly retracted, surgical reattachment is often necessary. A full return to athletic activities or heavy labor usually takes 4 to 6 months.
Therefore, the extent of the injury is known but if Virat Kohli avoids surgery, then he will return in 1.5- 2 months, otherwise, a surgery means no cricket for 4-5 months.
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