Kohli Sidelined: India to Experiment With No. 3 Slot Against Afghanistan

India will open their 2027 ODI World Cup campaign when they host Afghanistan for a three-match ODI series in Dharamsala. However, the hosts will be without their most experienced middle-order batter, Virat Kohli, who sustained a hamstring injury during the IPL 2026 final and has been ruled out of the series.

Morkel Acknowledges the Void Left by Kohli

Bowling coach Morne Morkel acknowledged the significant impact of Kohli’s absence, noting that the veteran brings leadership and reliability to India’s middle order that will be difficult to replace. Morkel emphasized how Kohli’s ability to anchor innings during the middle phase is something the team will genuinely miss throughout this series.

India to Trial Multiple Options at No. 3

Rather than naming a direct replacement, team management plans to use the Afghanistan series as an opportunity to test combinations. Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal are the leading contenders for the number three position, with Kishan expected to take the slot in the first ODI. Morkel confirmed the team wants to develop batting options ahead of future tournaments.

Shubman Gill will captain the side, with Rohit Sharma opening the innings. Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul follow in the middle order, while Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy step up as all-rounders in Hardik Pandya’s absence. Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav are set to spearhead the bowling attack, with Harsh Dubey and Prince Yadav potentially making their ODI debuts.

Kohli is expected to return for India’s ODI series against England in July, with his recovery progressing better than initially anticipated.