Team India’s assistant coach has broken his silence on Virat Kohli’s availability for the ODIs in Afghanistan

NEW DELHI: Will Virat Kohli miss India’s upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan? The question has been swirling ever since reports surfaced that the former India captain suffered a hamstring injury during the finals of IPL 2026. While there is no official confirmation yet, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate hinted that Kohli’s absence would be a significant setback for the team.India and Afghanistan are scheduled to face off in a one-off Test starting on June 6 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. The teams will then lock horns in the three-match ODI series from June 13.Commenting on the speculation about Kohli’s availability, Ten Doeschate said, “Official communication will come out about it, but it’s always a big blow when players like Virat are missing.”Kohli is likely to miss the ODI series due to a hamstring injury sustained during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2026 winning campaign, as reported by TimesofIndia.com. It is reliably learned that Kohli is currently on vacation in Europe after helping RCB secure their second consecutive IPL title.The 37-year-old enjoyed a sensational IPL 2026 season, finishing as RCB’s leading run-scorer with 675 runs at an average of 56.25. He registered one century and five half-centuries during the campaign and capped it off with an unbeaten 75 in the final against Gujarat Titans.Kohli reportedly experienced discomfort in his right hamstring while batting in the IPL final on 31 May. Despite the injury, he continued to work innings after being treated and having the area heavily taped.