IND v AFG 2026: Ruturaj Gaikwad likely to replace Virat Kohli for Afghanistan ODIs; Rajat Patidar to be named in India A squad- Report

India will play 3 ODIs v Afghanistan and India A will play one-day triseries in Sri Lanka.

Ruturaj Gaikwad is expected to be selected as Virat Kohli's replacement in Team India for the three ODI series against Afghanistan, while Rajat Patidar may be considered for the India A team that will fly to Sri Lanka for the tri-series also involving Afghanistan A.

The BCCI senior selection committee will have to make last-minute adjustments after Kohli was ruled out of the Afghanistan series, which begins on June 14 in Dharamsala, due to a hamstring injury sustained during Sunday's IPL 2026 final.

Kohli has been told to rest for at least two weeks, and while he may be fit for the last ODI on June 20, selectors are unlikely to include him in the series, which consists of only three ODIs.

Gaikwad was earlier added to India. A squad after Riyan Parag had gotten injured during IPL and was also named the vice-captain of the side. The formal announcement is expected soon.

As per the Indian Express report, Kohli is understood to have faced slight discomfort in his hamstring and needed a bit of medical attention during RCB’s chase against GT in IPL 2026 in Ahmedabad. The scans revealed an injury to his hamstring. Kohli has been advised two weeks of rest, and BCCI selectors are unlikely to involve Kohli in the three ODI series.

This is to ensure Kohli remains fit for India’s busy ODI calendar, as India will travel to England for three ODIs as well.

On Saturday, BCCI selectors will also need to choose India’s T20 squads for the 2026 Asian Games and the tour of the UK, and will also have to take a call on Rohit Sharma’s availability for the Afghanistan ODI series.

Rohit Sharma is also struggling with a hamstring injury and missed a huge portion of the Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2026 campaign. However, as stated by the chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, his availability is contingent on passing the fitness test.

As things stand, there has been no news on Rohit's fitness test, and he has yet to report to the BCCI's Centre of Excellence. If Rohit fails the fitness test, the selectors would recall Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has been the third-choice opener in the previous two series.

Despite scoring his first ODI century in his last match, Ishan Kishan has been named the backup opener for the series against Afghanistan. But Jaiswal is seen as a bright talent, and if the selectors look past Rohit, he is a strong contender to open alongside captain Shubman Gill.

In addition to Kohli and Rohit, Hardik Pandya is also a source of concern. The all-rounder has reported to the CoE, where his health is being tracked, since the IPL, when he missed a few games due to a persistent back problem.

He must pass a fitness test, much like Rohit, and he won't be added to the team until he is cleared to bowl. If Pandya doesn’t pass the fitness test, selectors will have to find a replacement for him as well.

(Indian Express inputs)