Indian batter Virat Kohli is making encouraging progress in his recovery from the hamstring injury he sustained during the 2026 Indian Premier League final against Gujarat Titans, with the former India captain set for a fresh assessment later this month. The 37-year-old is expected to report to the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) on June 22 for re-evaluation and further planning as he eyes a return to international cricket.
The update comes as India continue to monitor the fitness of one of their most important ODI players ahead of a busy calendar that builds up to next year’s ODI World Cup in South Africa.
“Virat Kohli is progressing well following the right hamstring injury sustained in the IPL. He was assessed by the CoE team in London and handed over the programme to continue in the initial phase of rehab,” a source told India Today.
“He will report to the CoE on 22nd June 2026 for re-evaluation, further planning and subsequent clearance.”
Kohli was ruled out of the ongoing ODI series against Afghanistan after suffering the injury and was replaced by Yashasvi Jaiswal. While concerns initially emerged over his availability for the subsequent England ODI series, recent updates suggest the veteran batter remains on track in his rehabilitation.
KOHLI REMAINS CRUCIAL FOR WORLD CUP PLANS
When Kohli was initially ruled out of the Afghanistan series, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had expressed optimism over his recovery timeline.
“With Virat, it’s just been less than a week since he injured himself in the IPL final. We don’t know the timelines yet. But it looks like he might be fit for that England one-day series,” Agarkar had said. “It’s not a definitive answer, so don’t hold me to it. I haven’t had a clear timeline from the physio yet.”
Despite retiring from T20Is and Tests, Kohli continues to be a cornerstone of India’s ODI setup. His recent form in the format underlines his importance, having amassed 616 runs in his last seven ODI appearances at an astonishing average of 123.20, including three centuries.
Kohli also enjoyed another prolific IPL campaign, scoring 675 runs and remaining in contention for the Orange Cap for much of the season before eventually being overtaken by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. His record in England further highlights his value, with 1,349 runs from 33 ODIs in the country, including 12 fifties and a century.
Given Kohli’s remarkable fitness standards throughout his career, his swift recovery has come as little surprise despite the injury arriving at a stage when he is managing the demands of international cricket at 37-years of age.
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