India’s preparations for the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan have been hit by fitness concerns over veteran stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both of whom are recovering from injuries sustained
during IPL 2026.
Rohit has been included in the ODI squad, but his participation is subject to medical clearance. The former India captain is scheduled to report to the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru on June 8 for a series of fitness assessments, after which a final decision will be taken on his availability.
“Yes, Rohit is supposed to report to the CoE on June 8. He should be there for three days and has a few sessions lined up, including batting under lights on one ground. He will then join the Indian team in Dharamshala on June 11, two days ahead of the first ODI against Afghanistan on June 13,” a source was quoted as saying to TOI.
Rohit Sharma’s hamstring issue forced him to miss several matches during the IPL, with the veteran featuring mainly as an Impact Player for the Mumbai Indians. At 39, Rohit now plays exclusively ODI cricket after retiring from both T20Is and Test cricket. His most recent success in India colours came when he led the team to the ICC Champions Trophy title in 2025.
The situation appears more serious for Kohli. The former captain is reported to have suffered a hamstring tear during the closing stages of the IPL final while guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a successful chase against Gujarat Titans. Despite the injury, he completed an unbeaten 75 and finished the tournament as RCB’s leading run-scorer.
Kohli Out For At Least 6 Weeks
According to reports, Virat Kohli is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks, ruling him out of the Afghanistan series and potentially putting his participation in the ODI tour of England in doubt.
“He has a hamstring tear. The injury won’t require surgery. It will take about six weeks of healing time, which will also involve rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
He tele-consulted renowned orthopaedic surgeon Dr Dinshaw Pardiwalla (at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai), who reviewed his MRI scans,” a source tracking developments was quoted as saying to TOI.
With both Rohit and Kohli now focused solely on ODI cricket, next year’s 50-over World Cup is widely expected to be the final major chapter in the careers of two of Indian cricket’s greatest players.
(With inputs from Agencies)
