File photo of Rohit Sharma© AFP
Indian cricket team star batsman Rohit Sharma‘s participation in the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan remains doubtful after he suffered a hamstring injury during IPL 2026, according to ANI. Both Rohit and Hardik Pandya were included in the ODI squad but BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar made it clear that their availability will completely depend on their fitness. The two cricketers will have to clear fitness tests at the BCCI CoE (Centre of Excellence) before joining the squad. Rohit has not reported to the CoE in Bengaluru till now and the report said that it is likely that he might end up missing the series.
In nine IPL matches this year, Rohit has scored 283 runs at an average of 35.37 and a strike rate of 1576.22, including two fifties and a best score of 84.
However, Rohit, at 39 years of age, is an exclusively ODI-only player now. He retired from T20Is after the T20 World Cup title win as a captain in 2024 and from Tests last year in May ahead of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle.
His last assignment as an ODI captain was an ICC Champions Trophy win back in March 2025, including a match-sealing 76 against New Zealand in the final. He ended the last year as India’s second-highest run-getter with 650 runs in 14 matches and innings at an average of 50.00 and a strike rate of 100.46, with a best score of 121*.
However, his last ODI outing for India against New Zealand earlier this year saw him score just 61 runs in three innings with a best score of 25.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli was reportedly ruled out of the ODI series against Afghanistan at home due to a hamstring injury, as per the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources.
Virat was seen struggling while running during the final stages of the Indian Premier League (IPL) final against the Gujarat Titans (GT) at Ahmedabad, but took the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a tricky 156-run chase with a 42-ball 75*.
The ODI series against Afghanistan will consist of three matches and will start from June 13 onwards after a one-off Test between both sides at New Chandigarh.
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