Virat Kohli had suffered a hamstring injury during RCB's IPL 2026 final.
Due to a hamstring injury sustained during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL 2026 championship run last month, Virat Kohli will not play in the forthcoming three-ODI series against Afghanistan. He has been replaced in the squad by Yashasvi Jaiswal.
India's chairman of selection, Ajit Agarkar, announced Kohli's absence from the series on Saturday in Mumbai. Additionally, Agarkar stated that although there is "no clear timeline" from the physiotherapists regarding Kohli's return, he might be ready for India's next ODI assignment, a three-match series against England starting on July 14.
"With Virat at this point, it's just been less than a week since he injured himself in the [IPL] finals. We don't know the timelines yet. But it looks like he might be fit for that England one-day series. It's not a definitive answer, so don't hold me to it. I haven't had a clear timeline from the physio yet,” Agarkar said in the press conference, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
Having retired from T20Is and Tests, Virat Kohli only plays the ODI format now. His last appearance for India was in the three-ODI series against New Zealand in January. With 240 runs at an average of 80 and a strike rate of 105.26, he led India in scoring during the series.
As RCB became just the third team to win back-to-back titles, he maintained that form into the IPL, scoring 675 runs at an average of 56.25 and a strike rate of 165.84.
Jaiswal, who made his ODI debut against England in February 2025, has played four games in the format to date. He scored an unbeaten 116 in his final ODI against South Africa at Visakhapatnam in December 2025.
The India v Afghanistan ODI series will begin on June 13 in Dharamsala, followed by fixtures in Lucknow (June 17) and Chennai (June 20).