Rohit Sharma’s availability in doubt after Virat Kohli injury blow ahead of Afghanistan ODIs

India might be without one of their most experienced players in the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan. With the three-match series around the corner, the fitness of some of the senior stars has become a major talking point for the team management.

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According to a report by ANI, Rohit Sharma is a doubtful participant for the ODI series after suffering a hamstring injury during IPL 2026. The Indian captain was included in the squad announced for the Afghanistan series, but his participation is still dependent on clearing fitness assessments.

At the time of the squad announcement, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had confirmed that both Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya would only be available if they were declared fit by the BCCI medical team.

The two players are expected to undergo fitness tests at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru before joining the national squad. But reports suggest that Rohit has not reported to the facility so far, raising doubts over his availability for the series.

Injury interrupts Rohit’s return to ODI action

The Afghanistan series was expected to mark Rohit’s return to international cricket following the IPL season. However, the hamstring issue could delay that comeback.

The veteran opener played nine matches in IPL 2026 scoring 283 runs at an average of 35.37. He registered two half-centuries during the campaign, with a highest score of 84.

Rohit now focused solely on ODI cricket

At 39, Rohit is now an ODI-only cricketer for India. He quit T20 internationals after leading India to the T20 World Cup crown in 2024 and then retired from Test cricket ahead of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle.

His last major success was in March 2025 when he led India to Champions Trophy glory. Rohit was the star of the tournament and scored a match-winning 76 in the final against New Zealand.

He also enjoyed a productive ODI season last year, scoring 650 runs in 14 matches at an average of 50.00 and a strike rate of 100.46, including an unbeaten century.

Despite his strong overall record, Rohit’s last ODI series for India was relatively quiet. Against New Zealand earlier this year, he managed only 61 runs in three innings, with a highest score of 25.

Virat Kohli also likely to miss the series

India’s injury concerns do not end with Rohit. Virat Kohli has also reportedly been ruled out of the Afghanistan ODI series due to a hamstring injury.

According to BCCI sources, Kohli picked up the injury around the closing stages of the IPL 2026 final against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.

Despite struggling physically during the chase, the former India captain stayed at the crease and guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru to victory with an unbeaten 75 off 42 balls, helping the franchise secure its second successive IPL title.

Afghanistan ODI series begins on June 13

The three-match ODI series between India and Afghanistan will get underway on June 13 following the completion of the one-off Test match in New Chandigarh.

With doubts surrounding both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the selectors may have to rely on younger players to shoulder greater responsibility if the senior duo fail to recover in time.