Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya Set to Rejoin India Squad for Afghanistan ODIs

Rohit and Hardik Ready for Afghanistan ODI Series

Indian cricket icons Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya are poised to make their return in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan after successfully passing their fitness evaluations, as reported by sources.

Both players have cleared their fitness assessments and are anticipated to rejoin the national team shortly before the series begins.

"Rohit and Hardik are confirmed to participate in the ODI series against Afghanistan; both have passed their fitness tests and will be joining the squad soon," sources indicated.

Previously, it was noted that the involvement of these senior players in the ODI series hinged on receiving fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE).

For context, Rohit and Hardik faced injuries during the IPL 2026 season while representing the Mumbai Indians, who have won the championship five times. Rohit has been recovering from a persistent hamstring issue, while Hardik is receiving treatment for ongoing back spasms that affected him in the later stages of IPL 2026.

Virat Kohli Excluded from Series Due to Injury

In other news, star batsman Virat Kohli has been ruled out of the series due to a hamstring injury sustained during the IPL 2026 final, where the Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defended their title.

BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar provided an update on Kohli's condition, stating that the exact recovery timeline remains uncertain.

"Currently, it has been less than a week since Virat injured himself in the IPL 2026 final, so they will likely assess his condition soon. We do not have a clear timeline yet, but it appears he might be fit for the England ODI series. However, this is not a definitive statement, and we have not received a clear timeline from the physiotherapist yet," Agarkar explained.

Yashasvi Jaiswal has been included in the ODI squad to replace Kohli for the three-match series.

Schedule for India vs Afghanistan ODI Series

India is set to compete against Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series starting in Dharamsala on June 13. The second ODI will take place in Lucknow on June 17, followed by the final match in Chennai on June 20.

India's ODI Squad

The Indian ODI squad includes: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer (Vice-Captain), KL Rahul (Wicket-Keeper), Ishan Kishan (Wicket-Keeper), Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey.