Who Has Replaced Virat Kohli In India vs Afghanistan 1st ODI?

Virat Kohli is not playing IND Vs AFG ODI series [Source: AFP]

Not long ago, talismanic Indian batter Virat Kohli was ruled out of the ODI series against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury. The fitness setback rocked the Shubman Gill-led side as they began their preparations for the 2027 World Cup edition. 

Virat Kohli has been the backbone of the Indian batting unit over the years. While he has left an indelible mark in Tests and T20Is, Kohli has been the linchpin of the Indian lineup in the ODI format. 

So, when Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to field first, fans were curious to know about Virat Kohli's replacement in India's playing XI in the series opener against Afghanistan.

Yashasvi Jaiswal had joined Indian squad as Virat Kohli's replacement

It's worth noting that young opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal was officially added to the India ODI squad vs Afghanistan as Virat Kohli's replacement. 

However, with Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma opening the batting, Jaiswal had to miss out on selection and warm the bench in the first ODI at the HPCA Stadium. 

Who has replaced Virat Kohli in India's playing XI for 1st ODI vs Afghanistan?

India's team sheet for 1st ODI vs Afghanistan [Source: X]

Captain Shubman Gill has been listed as an opening batter along with the veteran Rohit Sharma in the Indian team sheet for the Dharamsala ODI. While KL Rahul has been slotted at number three, Ishan Kishan makes it into the India's playing XI in Virat Kohli's absence. 

Therefore, Ishan Kishan is Virat Kohli's replacement, although he will likely bat in the middle-order, with the Indian team management settling the core batting unit for the 2027 World Cup. 

Ishan has played 27 ODIs for India, amassing 933 runs at an average of 42.40 and a strike rate of 102.19. 

Factors that made India keep KL Rahul over Ishan Kishan for number 3 position

Despite making his ODI comeback as Virat Kohli's replacement, Ishan Kishan has been allotted the number five slot in the Indian batting lineup. Veteran batter KL Rahul is slotted at number three and will likely bat at that position if the home side loses a wicket during the run chase. 

The factors that prompted the Gautam Gambhir-led Indian think tank to prefer KL Rahul over Ishan Kishan for the Virat Kohli-owned number three slot are: 

1) Stoic technique

KL Rahul is technically more solid than Ishan Kishan. Although both these cricketers primarily play as top-order batters, Rahul's better overall game against the moving ball makes him a more trustworthy option for the number three spot amid Virat Kohli's injury. 

2) Like for like option

Virat Kohli is a right-handed batter and takes a bit of time to settle before shifting gears. KL Rahul falls in a similar category and believes in rotating the strike in the initial phase and accelerating later. 

Ishan Kishan hits boundaries more frequently, but Rahul's profile as the team's crisis man makes him the perfect candidate to bat at number three. 

3) Ishan's stellar performance in middle order

India have moved on from KL Rahul, the number five batter, long ago. The ship sailed right after India's 2023 World Cup final defeat, and the Karnataka batter has played at five on only four occasions ever since. 

Additionally, Ishan Kishan recently starred with the bat as a finisher for Jharkhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. 

The white ball rarely moves in the middle and death overs, and Ishan made the most of the conditions in the tournament, scoring 155 runs, including a blazing 39-ball 125, as a middle order batter. 

Also, as the Indian team has religiously followed the ritual of keeping a left-handed batter in the middle order, KL Rahul's swap with Ishan Kishan was always on the cards. 

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