Major update on Virat Kohli’s availability for ENG vs IND ODIs
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Virat Kohli has been ruled out of IND vs AFG ODIs due to injury.
Indian Cricket Team are all set to host Afghanistan for a three-match ODI series, starting June 13 at Dharamshala. Shubman Gill and Co. will be in action in 50-over format after a prolonged T20 calendar.
The three matches will be played on June 13, 17, and 20; in Dharamshala, Lucknow and Chennai respectively. India also played a one-off Test match against Afghanistan prior to this series, and won it handsomely.
The Men-in-Blue will begin their preparations for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 from this series onwards. They are set to play around 30 ODI matches ahead of the big tournament, including away tours to England and New Zealand, and hosting West Indies and Zimbabwe on the home soil.
Shubman Gill will be leading the side, with Shreyas Iyer as his deputy. Gurnoor Brar, Prince Yadav and Harsh Dubey have earned their maiden ODI call-ups ahead of this series. Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan has returned to the mix after having played his last ODI in 2023.
Virat Kohli was set to play this IND vs AFG series, however, he sustained a hamstring injury during the business end of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. In the IPL final, Kohli was visibly under immense pain and was unable to even run efficiently between the wickets.
Eventually, he was ruled out of the ODI series against Afghanistan and was replaced by Yashasvi Jaiswal in the squad.
Virat Kohli likely to play ENG vs IND ODI series – Reports
As reported by RevSportz, the injury Kohli has succumbed to, is not that serious, and he is recovering well. The reports claimed that the right-hander should be available for the ODI series against England, which is scheduled from July 14.
When the BCCI chief selector had announced the Indian squad for T20I series against England, he was asked about the updates on Virat Kohli’s injury. Speaking about the same, Ajit Agarkar mentioned that he will most likely be available, but nothing can be confirmed as of now.
Kohli was in action in the recently concluded IPL 2026, where he scored 675 runs in 16 matches, including a match winning knock in the final, guiding RCB to their second title. His strike rate was above 165, and he scored five half centuries and one century. He scored the most runs for RCB this season.
In the last two ODI series where India was in action, Kohli looked in sublime form, where he scored three centuries in six matches, and two half centuries. He would have looked to continue this form in the Afghanistan series; however, the fans will be hopeful to see him in the ODIs against England.
Will Virat Kohli play IND vs AFG ODIs?
No, Kohli has been ruled out of IND vs AFG ODIs.
Who replaced Virat Kohli in the Indian squad for IND vs AFG ODIs?
Yashasvi Jaiswal has been named in the squad for IND vs AFG ODIs replacing injured Virat Kohli.
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Cricket runs in the blood of Indians — and that’s something she truly believes in. A law student with a lifelong connection to the game, she has followed cricket passionately since his school days. Like countless young fans, she first experienced the sport on the field before deepening his understanding through constant watching, reading, and conversations around the game. Writing became a natural extension of that passion, bringing a “Pavilion Perspective” to his work — capturing how fans experience matches through their own lens.