table of contents
Virat Kohli has been ruled out of the India vs Afghanistan ODI series due to a hamstring injury suffered during the IPL 2026 championship. The new update on Virat’s injury came out of nowhere as the batsman looked to be in great shape during the 2026 Indian Premier League season. Since he will not be able to take the field against Afghanistan, BCCI will have to find his replacement.
Rohit Sharma is another batsman whose availability remains a matter of concern in the India vs Afghanistan ODI series. Like Virat, Rohit’s uncertainty was also due to the hamstring problem he suffered during the middle phase of IPL 2026.
Two giants, one worry: How hamstring injuries are threatening Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s final World Cup dreams
Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are expected to feature in the upcoming 2027 ICC ODI World Cup. At the moment, the form of these two batsmen is not a matter of concern, as both of them are in runs and have batted comfortably in their previous ODI matches for Team India.
If we keep IPL 2026 in mind, there will be many other players who can easily move forward for selection consideration ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
More than the performance on the field, the issue of fitness has become one of the concerns for the selectors of the national cricket team. Ahead of the next ODI World Cup, both the legends are under question due to the same issue: hamstring injury.
Hamstring injuries are common in sports. But there are ways to protect his talent from injury. In recent times, cricket fans might have heard about the term ‘workload management’ on several occasions. In short, hamstring injuries are most often caused by excessive pressure on one of the three large muscles at the back of the thigh, which is overstretched or torn.
A large part of the Indian Premier League 2026 was played in extreme heat and humid conditions, which can have an impact on the player’s body. Virat Kohli played all 16 matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore, so he definitely took some pressure off his shoulders.
History of Rohit Sharma’s hamstring problem
Rohit Sharma has a history of hamstring injuries. Throughout his career he had to suffer many times for the same reason. Rohit suffered his latest hamstring injury during the IPL 2026 match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. He missed a few matches in the league before returning.
Major hamstring injuries suffered by Rohit Sharma in his career:
During the IPL 2019 season, the opening batsman suffered a right hamstring injury during Mumbai Indians’ practice session ahead of their match against Punjab Kings. The injury made his participation in the 2019 World Cup uncertain, but he quickly recovered.
Rohit again injured his left hamstring the following year, during the IPL in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Due to that particular injury, he could not play the match and was initially left out of India’s tour of Australia. After returning from injury, the batsman faced major criticism regarding his fitness.
The injury suffered by ‘Hitman’ in 2020 was serious, as he had to suffer injuries even after this. A left hamstring injury caused him to miss the Australia tour and then, during the 2021–22 season, he also had to miss the South Africa tour. Repeated injury setbacks have pushed the batsman to seek recovery and workload management.
There was panic when Rohit Sharma suffered a hamstring injury during the 2025 Champions Trophy match against Pakistan. He went out of the field for some time after getting injured while fielding while Pakistan was batting first. Later, the openers came to bat and scored a quick 20 runs for the winning aim.
Virat Kohli is facing fresh hamstring problem
While Rohit Sharma has a history of hamstring problems, it is rare for Virat Kohli to miss an entire series due to injury. According to the latest reports, Kohli suffered a hamstring injury during the IPL 2026 season. He would have played in the final match against Gujarat Titans despite the injury.
The Times of India reported on June 4, “Virat Kohli is likely to miss India’s upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury. Although the exact timeline of recovery is unclear, the former India captain is expected to be unavailable for the series. It has been reliably learned that Kohli is holidaying in Europe after winning the IPL with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).”
Will fitness, not form, decide Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s 2027 World Cup fate?
Fitness and form are the two main criteria for selection in the national cricket team. Players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who are legends of the game, have played a lot of cricket and know how to deal with any bad times that come their way. Injury is a factor that can be beyond control and prediction.
It would be wrong to think that the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel will pick some injured players for a specific tournament like the ODI World Cup. Fitness can also affect a player’s form. There is still a lot of time before the 2027 World Cup, so the form and fitness of these two legends will be under question before the tournament.
Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir face a tough challenge as many suitors are eyeing Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s replacements for the 2027 World Cup.
The competition to join the national cricket team has increased significantly. There are many contenders for one place. Players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devdutt Padikkal and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who have performed well in recent times, will be in the mix to be back-up options if one is ruled out of the tournament due to injury.
The emergence of Vaibhav Suryavanshi may also put additional pressure on Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and the selectors of Team India. He has performed amazingly in IPL 2026 and is on the verge of debuting in the senior cricket team in the near future. If the teenage opener performs well at the senior level, he could be in the running for ODI World Cup 2027 selection.
Read more: Virat Kohli replaced for Afghanistan ODI: Ruturaj Gaikwad to face competition from RCB and MI stars