Veteran India batter Virat Kohli is likely to miss the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan because of a hamstring injury. Afghanistan are scheduled to play three ODIs in India from June 13 to June 20. Although Kohli was originally included in the squad, a report by India Today claims that the 37-year-old could be unavailable due to the injury.
Kohli was named Player of the Match in the IPL 2026 final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 31. The star batter remained unbeaten on 75 off 42 balls, smashing nine fours and three sixes. However, he appeared to be uncomfortable while running between the wickets during the match.
With reports suggesting that Kohli may miss the Afghanistan ODIs, here are three players who could replace the batting great in India’s squad.
# 1 Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson is a strong contender to replace Virat Kohli in India’s ODI squad for the Afghanistan series. The wicketkeeper-batter was unfortunate to lose his place in the ODI team despite scoring a century against South Africa in Paarl in December 2023.
Samson played a superb knock of 108 runs from 114 balls in that match, but has not featured in an ODI for India since then. The 31-year-old also has form on his side. He enjoyed an excellent IPL 2026 season with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), scoring 477 runs in 14 innings at an average of 43.36 and an impressive strike rate of 165.62.
His campaign included two centuries and one half-century. Before the IPL, Samson was also one of India’s standout performers during the latter stages of the T20 World Cup 2026.
# 2 Tilak Verma
Tilak Varma is another player who could be considered as Virat Kohli’s replacement for the ODI series against Afghanistan. The left-handed batter made his ODI debut for India in September 2023 and has featured in only five matches so far. He has scored 68 runs at an average of 22.66 and a strike rate of 57.14. While those numbers are not very impressive, they come from a small number of matches and may not reflect his true potential.
Now 23, Varma is a more experienced and confident player than when he first entered the ODI setup. He has the skills and temperament needed to build long innings in the 50-over format. The youngster has also been in decent form recently. During IPL 2026, he scored 359 runs in 14 innings for Mumbai Indians (MI) at a strike rate of 145.93.
Varma has been a regular part of India’s T20I squad since his debut in 2023 and has already shown that he can perform under pressure. He has played important roles in crucial matches for both India and Mumbai Indians. Considering his growth and recent performances, Varma could be a strong option if Kohli is unavailable for the Afghanistan ODIs.
# 3 Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwad could be the surprise choice on this list. Unlike Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma, who enjoyed strong IPL 2026 seasons, Gaikwad had a difficult campaign both as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain and as a batter. He struggled to find consistency, scoring 337 runs in 14 innings at an average of 28.08 and a strike rate of 123.44, with two half-centuries.
Despite his disappointing IPL season, Gaikwad has a solid record in ODI cricket for India. In eight ODI innings, he has scored 228 runs at a strike rate of 89.76, including one century and one fifty. Interestingly, like Samson, Gaikwad scored a century in his most recent ODI innings for India. The stylish right-hander smashed 105 runs off 83 balls, hitting 12 fours and two sixes.
The 29-year-old’s ability to bat in different positions is another advantage. He can open the innings or slot into the middle order at No. 3 or No. 4, making him a flexible option for the selectors if they need a replacement for Virat Kohli in the Afghanistan ODI series.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
