Atul WasanThe former Indian cricketer believes. Virat KohliHis absence in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan could prove to be a boon for Team India. According to Wasan, the break will help Kohli manage his workload ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup while also creating opportunities for emerging talents such as Yeshsavi Jaiswal.Kohli has been ruled out of the ODI series after sustaining a hamstring injury during the IPL 2026 final on May 31. Despite the injury, the star batsman remained unbeaten on 75 and was instrumental in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title campaign, helping the franchise secure the IPL. What was initially thought to be cramping was later confirmed to be a hamstring problem.The three-match ODI series against Afghanistan will begin from June 13 in Dharamsala, with the remaining matches to be played in Lucknow and Chennai. In Kohli’s absence, young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has been included in the squad. Jaiswal last played in an ODI against South Africa, where he scored a century.Speaking to ANI, Vasan welcomed the decision to rest Kohli.“I am happy with the news about Virat Kohli missing this series against Afghanistan, I thought it would have been a huge loss if Virat had played every single series before the next World Cup.The former cricketer compared Kohli’s workload management to that of pacer Jasprit Bumrah and stressed the importance of securing key players for major ICC tournaments.“We have to take a balanced look at how we use Bumrah these days. Those are the two guys we have to save in cotton because we want to take them to the next World Cup. This is where every team wants its best players to be available and perform.Wasan also highlighted the depth of Indian cricket, pointing out that Kohli’s absence opens the door for a player of Jaiswal’s caliber.“Imagine, Virat goes out and Jaiswal comes in. Can you imagine the embarrassment of Indian cricket’s fortunes? Even a player like Yashwi Jaiswal is struggling to find a regular place in the ODI team, and now he is getting a chance.” I think it is a win-win situation for India. I’m not even a bit worried about Virat not playing, and for me it’s actually good news,” asserted Wasan. Looking ahead, Wasan asserted that Kohli’s experience will be crucial during India’s tour of England starting July 14.“From the England tour, because we’re playing in England, I think we’ll need it there to gather forces. I think it’s the best result for us,” he concluded.Kohli enjoyed an impressive IPL 2026 campaign, scoring 675 runs in 16 matches at an average of 56.25 and a career-best strike rate of 165.85. India’s next ODI assignment after the Afghanistan series is the tour of England, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar has hinted that Kohli could return for the series if his recovery goes as expected in the coming weeks.
