Top 3 Replacements After Virat Kohli Injury in IND vs AFG ODI Series

The Afghanistan Tour of India is all set to get started with a one-off test followed by 3 ODIs. India is going with a mix of star-studded and young squad for this series, where the squad for the One Day Internationals includes the Indian star players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, whom fans always wait to see on the field.

However, ahead of the start of the series, news of Virat Kohli injury came in, which will make a sure short possibility of another player to come into the squad while Virat Kohli is out and work on his injury. In this article, we will provide the top 3 players who could replace Virat for the IND vs AFG ODI Series.

Top 3 Virat Kohli Replacement Against Afghanistan

Virat Kohli, the best batsman in India, has been ruled out of India's squad due to a hamstring injury, signs of which were evident during the IPL 2026 Final as well. Virat Kohli injury has opened the doors for other players to come in and show their skills. Here are the top 3 Virat Kohli replacements who could make it to the team:

1. Rajat Patidar

Two-time IPL-winning captain Rajat Patidar could be the perfect option to replace injured Virat Kohli in the ODI squad against Afghanistan. Patidar is a somewhat like-for-like replacement for Kohli as he usually plays in the middle order and has done well in domestic cricket. He has featured for India in 1 ODI match 3 years back, where he managed to score only 22 runs. However, this is the perfect time to bring him into the ODI squad, considering his recent form in the competetive cricket.

2. Tilak Varma

The young left-hand batter, Tilak Varma, has been a regular member of India's T20I side, which could help him to enter the ODI side as well. Tilak has played 5 ODIs to date, scoring 68 runs at an average of 22.67. However, he didn't have an impressive IPL season with the Mumbai Indians, but he is one of the reliable batters in the Indian side, who could be a good choice to replace in the middle overs.

3. Devdutt Padikkal

The batter from Karnataka, Devdutt Padikkal, has been in solid form in IPL 2026 for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and in domestic cricket, which could earn him a place in the India squad for the IND vs AFG ODI series. He has played for India across the formats except in ODIs, where this series could make him an all-format player. Devdutt's reliability in the middle order could make him a go-to replacement after Virat Kohli injury.