Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya Face Fitness Test Ahead of India vs Afghanistan ODI Series

The India vs Afghanistan ODI series is set to begin on June 13 in Dharamsala, but the fitness of two of India's most experienced players, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya, remains under the spotlight. With preparations entering the final phase, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is closely monitoring both players before granting them clearance for the three-match series.

Hardik Pandya reported to the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru on June 2 after battling a back injury during IPL 2026. The all-rounder missed four matches for Mumbai Indians between May 3 and May 19, with viral fever and back spasms keeping him out of action. During his absence, Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah shared captaincy duties before Pandya returned for Mumbai's final two league matches.

Although Pandya was named in India's ODI squad for Afghanistan, his selection came with a fitness caveat. According to reports, the 32-year-old will spend a week at the CoE undergoing fitness assessments, match simulations, and workload management drills. If he successfully completes the program and satisfies the medical staff, he will receive the green signal to participate in the series.

Rohit's Fitness Update Awaited

Meanwhile, there is still no official update on Rohit Sharma's fitness status. The medical team had also asked the veteran opener to report to the CoE, but he was recently seen attending the opening ceremony of the T20 Mumbai League 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium. With India's ODI camp expected to begin around June 10 or 11, Rohit is likely to travel to Bengaluru soon for further evaluation.

Rohit's fitness remains a significant concern given his recent hamstring issues. The opener missed five matches during IPL 2026 and even refrained from fielding in some of the games he played. However, his ODI form has been outstanding since India's return to 50-over cricket in October 2025. Only Virat Kohli has scored more ODI runs for India during this period, underlining Rohit's continued importance to the team's plans.

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Should Rohit fail to receive fitness clearance, the selectors could consider bringing in Yashasvi Jaiswal as a replacement. Another option would be to promote Ishan Kishan to open alongside Shubman Gill, given his versatility and ability to bat across multiple positions. With the Afghanistan series fast approaching, the BCCI will be eager to receive positive fitness updates on both Rohit and Pandya as India finalizes its preparations.

India’s squad for Afghanistan ODI series

Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma*, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vc), KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya*, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey