Ruturaj Gaikwad will replace Virat Kohli: The India national cricket team is set to host the Afghanistan national cricket team on Saturday for a one-off Test followed by a 3-match ODI series. Both the teams have been announced, but Virat Kohli is out of the series due to injury and Rohit Sharma is also doubtful to play in the upcoming matches.
Due to this, the selectors are likely to make changes to the squad, with India A team vice-captain Ruturaj Gaikwad likely to be called up to the senior team to replace Virat Kohli for the series, and Rajat Patidar could be the frontrunner to join the India A team, which will travel to Sri Lanka for the tri-series with Afghanistan.
Will Ruturaj Gaikwad play at number 3?
This is a big opportunity for Ruturaj Gaikwad, as he has performed well for India in the 50-over format in recent times, but he has not been a regular for the team due to the presence of Shreyas Iyer in the team. The decision comes after Kohli was ruled out of the Afghanistan series starting in Dharamsala from June 13 due to a hamstring injury sustained during the IPL final.
Kohli has been asked to rest for at least two weeks, and although he may be fit for the last ODI on June 20, the selectors are unlikely to include him in the series, which consists of only three ODIs.
Many more to follow……
Also Read: India vs Afghanistan Test: Playing XI, Team News, Pitch Report, Weather Report, Head-to-Head and Match Preview
