Ruturaj Gaikwad is expected to be named as the replacement for injured Virat Kohli in India’s upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, while Rajat Patidar is likely to be included in the India A squad set to travel to Sri Lanka for a tri-series also featuring Afghanistan.
The senior selection committee has been forced to consider late squad changes after Kohli was ruled out of the Afghanistan series, beginning June 14 in Dharamsala, due to the hamstring injury he sustained during the IPL 2026 final on Sunday. Kohli has reportedly been advised to take at least two weeks of rest.
Although he could recover in time for the final ODI on June 20, selectors are unlikely to risk including him for a short three-match series. Gaikwad had earlier been added to the India A squad following the injury to Riyan Parag during the IPL season. An official confirmation regarding the latest squad changes is expected shortly.
During Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s successful run chase against Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad, Virat Kohli reportedly experienced slight discomfort in his hamstring and required brief medical attention on the field. Although he continued batting without visible difficulty, subsequent scans later confirmed a hamstring injury.
Having been advised a two-week rest period, Kohli now faces a race against time to regain full match fitness, especially with India’s packed ODI schedule ahead, including the upcoming white-ball tour of England in July featuring three ODIs.
Selectors to Review Rohit Sharma’s Fitness Ahead of Afghanistan ODIs
Apart from Kohli, selectors are also expected to assess Rohit Sharma’s fitness when they meet on Saturday to finalise India’s T20 squads for the UK tour and the Asian Games. Despite struggling with a hamstring issue and missing several matches for Mumbai Indians during IPL 2026, Rohit was included in India’s ODI squad for the Afghanistan series.
However, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had clarified that his participation would depend on clearing a fitness test. As of now, there has been no official update regarding Rohit’s fitness, and he is yet to report to the Board of Control for Cricket in India Centre of Excellence.
Should Rohit fail to receive clearance, selectors could turn to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was India’s third-choice opener in the previous two ODI series. Although he scored his maiden ODI century in his last appearance, selectors had preferred Ishan Kishan as the backup opener for the Afghanistan assignment.
However, Jaiswal’s solid technique and impressive potential make him a strong contender to partner captain Shubman Gill at the top of the order if Rohit is unavailable. There are also concerns surrounding Hardik Pandya.
The all-rounder missed a few IPL matches because of a recurring back problem and has since reported to the Centre of Excellence, where his fitness is being closely monitored. Like Rohit, Pandya is expected to undergo a fitness test, and only if he is cleared to bowl will he be included in the squad. Otherwise, selectors may have to identify a replacement for him as well.
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