Kohli out, Rohit doubtful: India face fitness concerns ahead of Afghanistan ODIs

India's preparations for the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan have been dealt a significant blow, with Virat Kohli ruled out due to a hamstring injury, according to BCCI sources.

The injury is believed to have occurred during the closing stages of the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad, where Kohli appeared to struggle while running between the wickets. Despite the discomfort, the former India captain produced a match winning unbeaten 75 off 42 balls to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a successful chase of 156 against Gujarat Titans and secure a second successive IPL title.

India will host Afghanistan for a one-off Test in New Chandigarh before the three match ODI series begins on June 13. The selectors and team management are also monitoring Rohit Sharma's fitness, with sources indicating that although the veteran opener has been named in the ODI squad, his participation remains subject to medical clearance.

Kohli heads into the enforced break after another outstanding IPL season. The 37-year-old finished as RCB's highest run scorer and the fourth highest run getter overall, amassing 675 runs in 16 innings at an average of 56.25 and a strike rate of 165.84, including one century and five half centuries.

His absence will be a major setback for India, particularly given his remarkable consistency in the ODI format. Kohli is currently the second highest run scorer in ODI history with 14,797 runs in 299 innings at an average of 58.71. He also holds the record for the most ODI centuries with 54 hundreds, in addition to 77 fifties.

Since retiring from T20 Internationals after India's World Cup triumph in 2024 and stepping away from Test cricket ahead of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle, Kohli has focused exclusively on the 50 over format. The move has paid dividends, with the batting star continuing to be one of India's most reliable performers.

Since last year, Kohli has scored 891 runs in 16 ODIs at an average of 68.53, registering four centuries and five fifties. He also played a crucial role in India's Champions Trophy triumph and carried that form into the series against New Zealand earlier this year, where he emerged as India's leading run scorer with 240 runs in three matches, including a century and a fifty.

Kohli's absence from the Afghanistan series means fans may have to wait until India's ODI tour of England in July to see him back in international action, provided he recovers in time. The England assignment is set to be India's next major ODI engagement after the Afghanistan series and could potentially mark Kohli's return to national duty.

India's ODI calendar remains busy in the second half of the year, with home matches against West Indies scheduled for September followed by a five match ODI series in New Zealand later in the year. With Kohli now an ODI specialist, those fixtures are expected to be central to India's long term white ball plans.

For now, however, the focus remains on his recovery. As India prepare to face Afghanistan, the team management will hope the injury setback proves to be a short-term concern and that one of the greatest ODI batters of all time can return to action sooner rather than later.