Former India captain Virat Kohli will not feature in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, a series he had originally been slated to play in starting June 4. The 37-year-old right-hander had just delivered a standout performance for RCB in the IPL 2026 final, scoring 75 runs off 42 balls against GT and earning the Player of the Match award before the injury curtailed his international availability.
Replacement Announcement Expected June 6
Kohli reportedly suffered the injury during that very final, with subsequent medical scans indicating a distal semimembranosus tendon tear. The injury has forced him out of India’s first-ever bilateral ODI series against Afghanistan.
The BCCI has not yet officially named a replacement. At the pre-match press conference, Team India’s coach Ryan ten Doeschate acknowledged the significant void Kohli’s absence creates and confirmed that an official medical update and team statement would be released by the board in due course.
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According to a Times Now report, the replacement is expected to be announced on June 6, when the BCCI’s senior men’s selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, is scheduled to meet in Mumbai. The committee’s primary agenda will include naming squads for the T20I tours of Ireland and England, along with the Asian Games 2026 roster, but the selectors will also address the ODI squad vacancy left by Kohli’s withdrawal. A thorough deliberation is anticipated over which player, whether a young talent or an experienced campaigner, earns the nod to fill the iconic batter’s spot at the top of the order.
Ruturaj Gaikwad Emerges as Front-Runner
With no official word yet from the BCCI on the precise nature of Kohli’s injury or his recovery timeline, speculation around his replacement is already gathering pace. Ruturaj Gaikwad has emerged as the leading candidate to step into the veteran’s shoes. Gaikwad has made a strong case through his demonstrated adaptability in the middle order during last year’s ODI series against South Africa. He is currently part of the India A setup for the upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka, keeping him match-ready should the national selectors call upon him.
India’s ODI Squad for Afghanistan Series:
Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma*, Shreyas Iyer (Vice-Captain), KL Rahul (Wicket-Keeper), Ishan Kishan (Wicket-Keeper), Hardik Pandya*, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey
