After Virat Kohli was ruled out of the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury, Rohit Sharma’s availability for the entire series is also up in the air. Due to a hamstring injury that hindered his IPL outings, the opener was added to the squad subject to fitness.
There has been a lot of conjecture regarding Kohli and Rohit’s ODI futures ever since they both retired from Test cricket last year. They would be included to the squad based on their performance and level of fitness prior to the next 50-over World Cup, which is set to take place in South Africa in October and November of 2027.
The fitness of both the stalwarts will be evaluated in the days leading up to the series, according to India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, who added on Thursday that an official statement will be sent out as soon as the medical team renders a decision.
All-rounder Hardik Pandya, who missed several Mumbai Indians IPL games due to back spasms, is another player the team management is watching to see if he would be totally fit for the 50-over matches against Afghanistan.
“Official communication will come on that. It’s obviously big news when it’s someone like Virat or Rohit, but the standard protocols remain in place. We’ll assess the fitness of those guys. We’ve got a few days now to decide whether they’re fit enough to play and be part of the squad, and we will make adjustments accordingly. I’m sure an official announcement will come through as soon as the medical team has made a decision,” ten Doeschate said during a press conference ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan starting Saturday.
