A hamstring injury to talismanic batter Virat Kohli has handed Team India an unexpected selection puzzle for the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. Kohli has been ruled out of the series against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury picked up while hitting a match-winning 75 not out in the IPL 2026 final against the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. He has been officially replaced in the squad by young left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal.  

On the eve of the first ODI in Dharamsala, India captain Shubman Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir face a key question: Who will bat at the crucial No. 3 position in Kohli’s absence. 

With Kohli missing from his trademark position, India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has broken his silence on the team’s tactical approach, revealing that the management plans to treat the high-profile vacancy as a “revolving door” to test different combinations.  

No. 3 Audition: Morkel Outlines Plan 

Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the first ODI at the scenic HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala, Morne Morkel made it clear that India will not settle on a single permanent replacement just yet. Instead, they will use the three matches to experiment with various player profiles. 

“I think that’s something that in this series we’ll play around with, (whether) it’s Ishan (Kishan) or KL (Rahul) or Yashasvi (Jaiswal). We have got a couple of one‑day games coming up, and we’ll give guys an opportunity in different slots to give ourselves a better idea of how we can structure teams and have different options,” said Morkel. 

“Just to give ourselves a better idea in terms of how we can go and structure the team and have different options,” he added. 

Rahul has largely featured as a middle-order batter in the past five years, but in India’s training session on Friday, Kishan was on keeping duties while Rahul was tasked with taking outfield catches, thus raising the prospect of the Karnataka lad being promoted up the order for Saturday’s clash.

Contenders For No. 3 Spot In Kohli’s Absence 

In Virat Kohli’s absence, the likes of Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal are in contention to bat at number three for India in the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. 

Yashasvi Jaiswal: Already brought in as Kohli’s replacement in the squad, the explosive left-hander has could slot into the top order. He offers aggression and has the potential to dominate from the outset. 

KL Rahul: The experienced wicketkeeper-batter brings stability and has prior experience in the top order. 

Ishan Kishan: The dynamic left-hander is another strong candidate. Known for his attacking style, Kishan could add firepower early in the innings and is also in contention for wicketkeeping duties. 

Opportunity For Others In Kohli’s Absence 

Virat Kohli’s unavailability is a significant blow for the Indian cricket team. The veteran has been a pillar at No. 3 for India in ODIs, anchoring the innings and converting starts into big scores. His experience will be missed, but the Afghanistan series – seen as preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup – gives India a chance to build depth. 

Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma is fit and available and could open alongside Shubman Gill (who leads the side in this series), with Shreyas Iyer as vice-captain. The squad also features a mix of youth and experience, including Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and bowlers like Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, and Kuldeep Yadav.

Afghanistan, led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, will provide a stern test on Indian pitches, but India enter as heavy favorites. 

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