Fitness questions around Virat Kohli’s hamstring and Rohit Sharma’s readiness have again become a major talking point for Indian cricket, with an ODI series versus Afghanistan on the horizon. Both top-order stalwarts have already stepped away from Test and T20I cricket, while keeping their attention firmly on the 2027 ODI World Cup—making their current physical condition and match sharpness central to selection decisions.
Key takeaways
- Kohli picked up a hamstring injury during the IPL final against Gujarat Titans while batting.
- Reports indicate Kohli may miss the Afghanistan ODI series due to the injury.
- Rohit returned to action for Mumbai Indians later in the IPL after a hamstring setback.
- Rohit’s ODI participation is still tied to a fitness clearance process, with the mandatory assessment yet to be completed.
- India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said official updates will follow once medical confirmation is available.
- Ten Doeschate emphasised workload management should be handled case by case, not through a single blanket rule.
What the injury news means for Kohli and Rohit
Kohli’s hamstring concern began during the IPL final against Gujarat Titans, where he sustained the issue while at the crease. With the Afghanistan series approaching, multiple reports have suggested he is unlikely to feature, and the situation has naturally drawn attention because India’s planning for the lead-in to the 2027 World Cup depends heavily on his availability and form.
Rohit’s situation is different but still under a cloud. He came back from a hamstring problem to play for Mumbai Indians during the second half of the IPL season. However, his inclusion in India’s ODI group was announced only on the condition that he receives the required fitness approval. At present, he has not yet reported to the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence for the mandatory fitness evaluation, leaving his availability for the Afghanistan ODIs uncertain.
With both senior players dealing with physical concerns, the selection group and team management are expected to monitor developments closely in the coming days before finalising the squad and role assignments.
Ten Doeschate on official updates and fitness assessments
When asked about the growing speculation surrounding Kohli’s injury, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate avoided giving any detailed timeline or specific medical information. He said the side would release an official update in due course, adding that fitness matters involving players of Kohli’s and Rohit’s stature automatically attract heightened focus.
“Official communication will come on that. It’s obviously big news when it’s someone like Virat or Rohit,” ten Doeschate said during the press conference.
He also addressed Rohit’s hamstring, stating that the injury will be assessed before any final decision is made regarding the ODI matches.
“The same protocols will be in place where we’ll assess the fitness of those guys and we’ve got a few days now to decide whether they are fit enough to play and be part of the squad, and make adjustments accordingly. But I’m sure some official communication will come through as soon as the medical team confirms,” ten Doeschate added.
Workload management: case-by-case approach
Ten Doeschate also spoke about the balancing act between domestic IPL commitments and international duties. He stressed that workload management cannot be handled with one universal guideline, and that each player’s situation has to be evaluated separately. At the same time, he acknowledged the importance of the IPL as well as the need to ensure players are performing at their best when they represent India.
“I think it’s a very individualistic thing. You know, with the Indian hats on, we want the players to be at their absolute best when they’re on international duty, and that’s a case of managing it case by case. So I appreciate that it’s a big time of year for those players. The IPL is a showpiece domestic competition, so it’s striking a balance between those two things. I think with the workload guys had going into that last IPL, or certainly a large proportion of the contracted players, I think we’ve done fairly well out of it,” ten Doeschate said.
