Virat Kohli to be available for India vs Afghanistan ODIs? RCB star limps during match-winning fifty in IPL 2026 final

Virat Kohli won the Indian Premier League (IPL) final on Sunday for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) against Gujarat Titans but the former Indian captain's struggles while running between the wickets might be a concern for the BCCI selectors ahead India's ODI series against Afghanistan in June.

Chasing 156 runs to win in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Kohli struggled with his hamstring and appeared unable to sprint for a second run with signs of cramping. Even the RCB physio had to come to the field thrice to treat the 37-year-old.

Despite the pain, Kohli saw RCB home with his fastest fifty in the history of IPL. He remained unbeaten at 75 runs from 42 balls, as RCB retained their IPL title, thus becoming the third franchise after Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings to achieve the feat.

In the process, Kohli finally ended his 10-year drought of IPL playoff fifty, reaching his fifty in 25 balls, with seven fours and two sixes. Kohli (at 37 years & 207 days) also became the second-oldest player after Anil Kumble (38 years & 219 days) to grab a Player of the Match award in an IPL final.

Will Virat Kohli be fine for IND vs AFG ODIs?

Having retired from Tests and T20Is, Kohli represents India only in the 50-over format. With the India vs Afghanistan ODI series starting on June 13, the bigger question is will Kohli be match fit in just 13 days?

However, following RCB's IPL 2026 triumph, Kohli was seen walking with no discomfort. Not only he spent time with his family post victory, he also celebrated with his RCB teammates while lifting the trophy.

With the RCB star certainly to take a few days off, a clear picture on Kohli's fitness is likely to be available once he joins the Indian camp. Prior to the ODI series, India will play a one-off Test match against Afghanistan from June 6.

What did Virat Kohli say after IPL 2026 final?

Kohli, who was named the Player of the Match, for his knock, stated the younger generation pushes him hard even today at this age. “Such is the demand of the sport today. You have these young players pushing you hard and asking you to get better. You need to get those 20-30 runs extra. I had to change my mindset, not so much by game, to get those runs,” he said.

India's ODI squad vs Afghanistan

Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey

India vs Afghanistan ODI series schedule

Catch the live updates from IPL 2026 with the complete IPL 2026 Schedule and the IPL 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts in IPL 2026 Orange Cap and IPL 2026 Purple Cap.