Ruturaj Gaikwad is being viewed as the most likely option to fill Virat Kohli’s spot in India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan, should the senior batter not recover from a hamstring problem in time. Reports suggest Kohli is unlikely to take part in the series after picking up the injury during the IPL 2026 final. The concern is described as fairly new, with the medical team recommending that he take a short break of a couple of weeks to ensure he is fully fit before returning to competitive cricket.
With Kohli’s availability still uncertain, a report highlighted that the selectors may look at Gaikwad as a like-for-like upgrade for India’s middle-order. The Maharashtra batter has recently been brought into the India A setup, where he stepped in after Riyan Parag was ruled out of the same series due to a hamstring injury. Gaikwad’s pathway back to the senior ODI group has also been boosted by his involvement in India’s ODI squad for the tour of South Africa, where he made a strong impression by scoring a century while batting in the middle order.
A promotion for Gaikwad could also open a place in the India A squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. The same report noted that Rajat Patidar is under consideration as Gaikwad’s possible replacement. Fresh off guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their first-ever IPL title, Patidar’s leadership and steady run-scoring have reportedly put him in the selectors’ frame ahead of the Sri Lanka assignment. The India A tour, featuring a tri-nation with Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A, is set to begin on June 9.
Rohit Sharma’s fitness is another major point of focus for the selectors, even though he has been included in the squad, which remains dependent on medical clearance. The experienced opener returned to action for the Mumbai Indians in the closing stages of the IPL after recovering from a hamstring injury, but he has not yet passed the BCCI’s mandatory fitness assessment. Adding another layer of doubt, Rohit has not reported to the Centre of Excellence for further rehabilitation and evaluation.
Selectors will be watching his progress closely, because any setback could trigger a late adjustment to the squad. If that becomes necessary, Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to be the leading candidate to step in. The left-handed batter has previously been used as India’s backup opening option in recent series and continues to be highly rated by the team management. Although he was not selected for the Afghanistan ODI squad, Jaiswal could quickly re-enter the reckoning if Rohit does not meet the required fitness standards by the deadline.
