Virat Kohli Ruled Out of Afghanistan ODI Series Due to Hamstring Injury

India batter Virat Kohli is set to miss the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan at home after suffering a hamstring injury, according to sources from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The injury occurred during the closing stages of the Indian Premier League (IPL) final against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad. Kohli appeared uncomfortable while running between the wickets but still produced an unbeaten 75 off 42 deliveries to help Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) complete a challenging chase of 156.

India and Afghanistan are scheduled to play a three-match ODI series beginning on June 13, shortly after the conclusion of the one-off Test in New Chandigarh.

Former India captain Rohit Sharma has been included in the ODI squad, but his participation remains uncertain as he continues to be monitored for fitness concerns.

Kohli’s Outstanding IPL 2026 Campaign

Kohli enjoyed another prolific IPL season, finishing as RCB’s highest run-scorer and the fourth-leading run-getter overall. Across 16 innings, he accumulated 675 runs at an average of 56.25 while striking at 165.84. His campaign featured one century and five fifties, with an unbeaten 105 serving as his top score.

One of ODI Cricket’s Greatest Batters

Few players have dominated ODI cricket the way Kohli has. The 37-year-old stands second on the all-time run-scoring list in the format with 14,797 runs from 299 innings at an average of 58.71.

His record includes 54 centuries, the highest tally by any batter in ODI cricket, along with 77 half-centuries. His career-best score in the format remains 183.

Kohli now focuses solely on ODI cricket. He stepped away from T20 Internationals after India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign in 2024 and later retired from Test cricket in May last year before the beginning of the 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

Also Read: New Zealand Tour of England 2026: Full Schedule, Player Squads, Fixtures & More

Dominant Form Since Becoming an ODI-Only Player

The move to become an ODI-exclusive player has done little to slow him down. Since last year, Kohli has collected 891 runs in 16 matches at an average of 68.53 and a strike rate of 98.45.

Those numbers include four centuries and five fifties, with 135 being his highest score during that period. He was also among the key contributors to India’s ICC Champions Trophy-winning campaign last year.

His returns have been even more impressive since the Australia tour that marked the start of his ODI-only phase. In nine matches, Kohli has scored 616 runs at an average of 88 and a strike rate of 106.39, registering three hundreds and three fifties.

Against New Zealand earlier this year, he once again led India’s batting charts in the ODI series. Kohli accumulated 240 runs from three matches at an average of 80.00, including a century and a half-century.

The timing hurts India, but it changes very little about Virat Kohli’s larger story. Even at 37, he remains the standard for consistency, discipline and match-winning hunger. Injuries can delay a comeback, not redefine a career. For now, India waits. Kohli, as always, will be expected to return stronger.

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