Team India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has provided a key update regarding the fitness status of veteran duo Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya ahead of the upcoming three-match One Day International (ODI) series against Afghanistan. With superstar batter Virat Kohli completely ruled out of the assignment due to a serious hamstring injury, all eyes have shifted to the availability of the two experienced campaigners.
Both Rohit and Hardik were included in the initial white-ball squad but with an explicit asterisk next to their names. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made it clear that their participation hinges entirely on receiving formal medical clearance from the board’s medical department. Speaking at the post-match press conference after India’s comprehensive win in the one-off Test in Mullanpur, Kotak shared an optimistic update on the two despite not giving any clear confirmation on their availability.
“I honestly don’t know. I have honestly not got the news whether they have been cleared or not. But I am sure they will be there. Whatever I heard, they are fine. But they have to go and do that fitness test or whatever the rule is.”
With just over a year left until the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup, every 50-over fixture carries immense weight, and the battle for squad spots is intensifying as a new era under newly appointed ODI skipper Shubman Gill gets its second outing.
IS ROHIT SHARMA FIT FOR IND VS AFG ODIS?
The biggest question mark continues to hover over former captain Rohit Sharma. The veteran opener checked into the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru on 8 June to undergo mandatory fitness tests and rehabilitation. Rohit missed several fixtures in the recent domestic T20 league with a hamstring issue and was primarily utilised as an impact substitute in the latter half of the tournament, severely limiting his time fielding on the ground.
To gain selection clearance for full 50-over international duties, Rohit must successfully navigate intensive physical tests, including the BCCI’s strict high-speed running and fielding benchmarks. While team management is confident that there is no lingering major injury, selectors will not gamble on his readiness until the medical staff in Bengaluru gives him the official green light.
PANDYA CLEARED AS KOHLI IS RULED OUT
In a massive boost for the side’s tactical balance, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has reportedly completed his rehabilitation at the CoE and received official clearance from the BCCI medical team. Pandya had been sidelined from a few recent domestic games due to back spasms and illness, but his recovery from lower-back stiffness ensures he will travel for the series, providing crucial flexibility as a pace-bowling option.
In contrast, the news regarding Virat Kohli is a heavy blow for the hosts. The prolific batsman has been entirely sidelined after medical scans confirmed a distal semimembranosus tendon tear in his hamstring. Kohli sustained the injury during the high-stakes final stages of the domestic T20 tournament in late May and faces an extended period on the treatment table.
With the three-match series scheduled across Dharamsala, Lucknow, and Chennai, the final fitness verdict on Rohit will dictate how India shapes its top-order for Gill’s 2nd assignment as the official ODI captain.
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