Star India batter Virat Kohli is likely to miss the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, which is scheduled to start on 13 June at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association in Dharamsala.
Virat Kohli, who was part of the IPL 2026 title-winning franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru, sustained a hamstring injury during the final clash against the Gujarat Titans (GT). Kohli, however, took charge and played an impactful knock of 75 off 42 balls, powering his side to a second consecutive title.
BCCI hasn’t confirmed the news yet, but Kohli’s availability is uncertain. Ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, Indian cricket team assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate remained tight-lipped, when asked about Kohli’s availability.
“Official communication will come on that. You know, it’s obviously big news when it’s someone like Virat or Rohit, but the same protocols will will be in place where we’ll assess the fitness of those guys, and we’ve got a few days now to to decide whether they are fit enough to play and and be part of the squad, and make adjustments accordingly. But I’m sure some official communication will come through as soon as the medical team has confirmed,” Ten Doeschate said at the press conference.
Let’s take a look at this story and find out about the three players who might replace Virat Kohli in the three-match ODI series.
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1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
Star India cricketer Yashasvi Jaiswal emerges as the top contender to replace Virat Kohli in the ODI series against Afghanistan. He was also part of the Indian ODI squad against New Zealand, but didn’t get an opportunity to play a single match. Jaiswal scored a century in his last ODI match for the Men in Blue in 2025.
2. Sai Sudharsan
Left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan might get picked in the Indian squad as Virat Kohli’s replacement for the Afghanistan ODI series. He last featured in an ODI match in 2023, where he scored a total of 127 runs, with the help of two half-centuries.
Sudharsan also finished IPL 2026 on an impressive note as he was the third-highest run-scorer in the tournament. He amassed 722 runs in 7 matches, which included one century and eight fifties.
3. Devdutt Padikkal
Devdutt Padikkal is another player who might replace Virat Kohli in the India squad for the Afghanistan series. Padikkal amassed 725 runs in 9 matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 edition. Padikkal, who has been picked in the Test squad, might also get his ODI call-up.
Also Read: Virat Kohli Ruled Out Of ODI Series Against Afghanistan: Reports
