New Delhi: Indian cricket fans may have to wait a little longer to see Virat Kohli in national colours after the veteran batter was ruled out of the upcoming India-Afghanistan ODI series due to a hamstring injury.
The 37-year-old’s absence means his return to international cricket has been postponed, with his last appearance for India having come during the ODI series against New Zealand in January.
Kohli suffers injury during IPL final
According to reports, Kohli sustained the hamstring injury while representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2026 final against Gujarat Titans on May 31.
Despite discomfort, the star batter played a match-winning knock of 75 runs off 42 balls and was named Player of the Match. However, he appeared to struggle while running between the wickets during the latter stages of his innings.
The injury has now ruled him out of all three ODIs against Afghanistan, scheduled to be played between July 13 and July 20 in Dharamshala, Lucknow and Chennai.
England ODI series likely next target
While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet released an official fitness update, reports suggest the injury is not considered serious.
If Kohli’s rehabilitation progresses as expected, he is likely to make his return during India’s ODI tour of England later in July.
India, led by Shubman Gill, are scheduled to play three ODIs against England on:
- July 14 – Edgbaston
- July 16 – Cardiff
- July 19 – The Oval
The England series currently appears to be the most realistic target for Kohli’s comeback.
What if Kohli misses the England tour?
Should Kohli require additional recovery time and miss the England series as well, fans may have to wait until September to see him represent India again.
India’s next scheduled ODI assignment after England is a home series against West Indies from September 27 to October 3.
That series would then become Kohli’s next opportunity to return to international cricket.
Kohli now India’s ODI specialist
Following his retirement from T20 Internationals and Test cricket, Kohli remains available only for One-Day Internationals. As a result, every ODI series carries added significance for both the player and Indian cricket fans eager to watch one of the game’s greatest batters continue his international career.
Conclusion
As things stand, Virat Kohli is expected to target the ODI series against England later this July for his return. However, his comeback will ultimately depend on how quickly he recovers from the hamstring injury suffered during the IPL 2026 final. If recovery takes longer than anticipated, fans may have to wait until the West Indies series in September to see him back in India colours.
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