Virat Kohli to be Ruled Out of Afghanistan ODIs; Ruturaj Gaikwad May Replace Him

Ind vs Afg: Virat Kohli only plays ODIs for the national side and hence the anticipation of watching him play in the blues was high. Unfortunately, multiple reports claims that he may skip the series owing to a hamstring injury he may have picked up during the IPL 2026. Kohli seemed to be limping while batting in the final against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modu=i stadium. In that game as well, he carried the bat through scoring 75* off 42 balls. 

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Kohli Out, Gaikwad In

In all probability, Ruturaj Gaikwad is going to replace Kohli in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. 

"The fact that I continue to play and compete, I want to keep improving and find areas in my game where I can make a difference and help the team score. That's always been my focus,” Kohli said in a video shared by IPL after the win. 

Kohli starred in RCB’s title win over Gujarat Titans on Sunday and capped another strong season with the bat. He said staying at the top requires constant improvement and adapting as the game evolves. 

Even at the twilight of his career, Kohli remains extremely significant to the side. He has already admitted that he wants to feature in the upcoming 2027 ODI World Cup and hence these three ODIs were important for him to get some match practice. 

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Just after the IPL win, Kohli was spotted in Vrindavan along with his wife, Anushka Sharma. The power couple are often spotted in Vrindavan.