Virat Kohli celebrates after winning the IPL 2026 finals for the RCB at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on May 31, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji
Virat Kohli is set to miss India’s forthcoming ODI series against the Afghanistan national cricket team because of a hamstring injury sustained during the IPL final earlier this week.
Kohli — who now features exclusively in the 50-over format for India — was visibly struggling while anchoring Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s chase against Gujarat Titans in Sunday’s IPL final. The Hindu understands that the injury to his right hamstring has aggravated since then.
The senior national selection committee is scheduled to meet on Saturday — coinciding with the opening day of the Test match in New Chandigarh — to finalise squads for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England.
The Hindu understands that a detailed fitness update on Kohli, along with reports concerning Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya, will be presented during the meeting. Both Rohit and Hardik had been picked in the ODI squad subject to fitness clearance, and suitable replacements, if required, are expected to be announced after the meeting.
Kohli last played international cricket in January and was widely expected to carry his outstanding IPL form into the ODI setup after another prolific season.
The veteran batter finished IPL 2026 with 675 runs and played a central role in helping RCB secure a second consecutive title. However, even during the franchise’s post-match celebrations, Kohli appeared to be moving gingerly on the dance floor in videos released by the franchise — suggesting the extent of discomfort caused by the injury.
The three-match ODI series will begin in Dharamsala on June 13.
Published – June 04, 2026 12:43 pm IST
