India, June 4 -- Ruturaj Gaikwad has emerged as the leading contender to replace Virat Kohli in India's ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan if the senior batter fails to recover from a hamstring injury in time. According to reports, Kohli is unlikely to feature in the series after suffering the injury during the IPL 2026 final. The issue is understood to be relatively fresh, with medical staff advising him to take a couple of weeks off to ensure a full recovery.

With uncertainty surrounding Kohli's availability, a report in the Indian Express suggested that selectors are considering Gaikwad as a like-for-like addition to the middle order. The Maharashtra batter recently replaced Riyan Parag in the India A sq...