With Virat Kohli ruled out due to a hamstring injury, Yashasvi Jaiswal emerges as the frontrunner to bat at No. 3; Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya cleared for selection

India’s men’s cricket team is set to experiment with both personnel and batting order in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, starting June 14 in Dharamshala. This marks the first bilateral ODI series between the two nations on Indian soil, and team management is likely to hand out at least two debut caps across the rubber.

Sources close to the selection committee confirmed that Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya have received fitness clearance from the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, making them available for the series. However, Virat Kohli’s absence due to a hamstring strain has opened up the crucial No. 3 slot.

Opening Pair Sorted

Captain Shubman Gill is expected to partner Rohit Sharma at the top of the order. Gill has been in formidable touch this year, amassing 732 runs in IPL 2026 and following it up with 490 runs in 11n international innings across formats. Rohit, despite a mixed IPL campaign plagued by minor injuries, still managed 650 runs in 14 games – including two hundreds – and finished as India’s second-highest ODI run-getter in 2025.

No Kohli, Jaiswal in Contention

With Kohli ruled out, the BCCI has officially named Yashasvi Jaiswal as his replacement. The left-hander has played only four ODIs in 2025 but scored 171 runs including a century. Ishan Kishan remains an option for the middle order, though team management prefers KL Rahul at No. 5, making Jaiswal the likeliest choice for the one-drop position.

Vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is set to bat at No. 4, followed by Rahul at five and Hardik Pandya at six.

Hardik’s Form Under Scanner

IPL 2026 was a forgettable season for the Mumbai Indians all-rounder. In ten innings, Hardik scored just 206 runs and picked only four wickets across nine bowling appearances. His ability to bowl a full quota of ten overs remains an unresolved concern.

“The sports science team has cleared him for competitive cricket, but match situations will be the real test,” a team insider said. If Hardik is rested or fails to deliver, Nitish Reddy – who smashed 302 runs in 14 IPL games this year – is expected to get a look-in.

All-Rounder Puzzle

Washington Sundar and Hardik will form the core all-round foundation. Washington was impressive against Australia in the third ODI, taking four wickets, and carried that form into the home series against South Africa. In case Hardik misses out, Nitish Reddy provides a like-for-like replacement.

With Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel not part of the squad, Vidarbha’s Harsh Dubey is in line for an ODI debut. Dubey finished as the highest wicket-taker in Ranji Trophy 2024-25 with 69 scalps, playing a key role in Vidarbha’s title win.

Pacer Face-Off: Arshdeep or Prince?

Arshdeep Singh has been India’s pace mainstay across formats, but his tendency to concede extras – especially wide deliveries – remains a recurring issue. “When he loses his line, especially the wide yorker, boundaries flow to third man and fine leg,” a bowling coach familiar with his game noted.

Prince Yadav, meanwhile, has impressed with his disciplined length. The youngster claimed the prized wicket of Virat Kohli in IPL 2026 and finished with 16 wickets in 14 games at an economy of 8.83. With head coach Gautam Gambhir keen to audition new names, Prince could get the nod over Arshdeep in at least one ODI.

Gurnoor Brar, the 6-foot-5 Punjab pacer who took 11 wickets in eight Vijay Hazare matches, is also expected to feature.

Possible Playing XI

Wicketkeeper: KL Rahul  

Batters: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain)  

All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Harsh Dubey, Nitish Reddy  

Bowlers: Prince Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh

Series Schedule

The three ODIs will be played on June 14 (Dharamshala), June 17 (Lucknow) and June 20 (Chennai). All matches start at 1:30 PM IST.