The decks have been cleared for Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma to feature in the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, beginning June 13 in Dharamsala. The two senior players have been given the go-ahead by the Sports Science Team of BCCI’s (Board of Control for Cricket in India) Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. There was intense speculation over whether the two would feature against Afghanistan after missing several games for the Mumbai Indians during the IPL 2026 season.
However, sources familiar with the developments confirmed on Tuesday that both Rohit and Hardik have been cleared to play and will feature in the ODIs against Afghanistan.
“Rohit and Hardik have been given the necessary clearance. Both players have been given the go-ahead and will feature in the series against Afghanistan,” a BCCI source confirmed to Hindustan Times Digital.
Pandya missed some IPL 2026 matches due to back spasms, while Rohit was battling a hamstring injury. Even when he returned to the playing fold for the Mumbai Indians, he only played as an impact sub.
Pandya reached the CoE on June 2, while Rohit reported in Bengaluru on Monday, June 8. On Saturday, when the BCCI announced the squad for the T20I series against Ireland and England, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said Rohit would reach the CoE in the next two or three days, and that is exactly what happened.
“As far as Hardik Pandya and Rohit are concerned, Hardik is already at the CoE in Bengaluru. Very soon, he will take the final test and will be in the process of obtaining the clearance certificate. As far as Rohit is concerned, he will also be visiting the CoE in the next two or three days. We are following a process for whoever gets injured; every player needs to get the certificate from our team at the CoE,” Saikia told reporters at the BCCI headquarters on June 6.
What did Team India management say?
On Monday, after the conclusion of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, Team India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said he had no update on Hardik and Rohit’s fitness.
“I have honestly not got the news whether they have been cleared or not. But I’m sure they will be there. Whatever I heard, they are fine, but they, they have to go and do that fitness test or whatever the rule is,” Kotak said when asked about the status of the duo’s fitness test,” Kotak told reporters in the post-match press conference.
Virat Kohli has already been ruled out of the ODIs against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury he picked up in the IPL 2026 final against the Gujarat Titans. Yashasvi Jaiswal has been named as his replacement.
It’s not known when Kohli will check in at the CoE to get a fitness clearance. As of now, it’s expected that the former India captain would recover in time for the three-match ODI series against England in July.
Apart from Dharamsala, the remaining two ODIs between India and Afghanistan will be played in Lucknow and Chennai on June 17 and June 20, respectively.
