Shubman Gill-led Team India are set to begin a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan with the first match scheduled at Dharamshala on Saturday.
Published: June 9, 2026, 12:42 PM IST
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Team India will face Afghanistan in three-match ODI series from Saturday. (Photo: IANS)
IND vs AFG 2026 ODI: Team India complete a dominant victory over minnows Afghanistan by a record margin of innings and 300 runs in the one-off Test in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, on Monday. Shubman Gill’s side will now set sights on the three-match ODI series against the Afghans starting in Dharamshala on Saturday. The series will be of prime importance as Gill’s team begin the road to the ODI World Cup 2027 next year.
Ahead of the ODI series, there are two major injury concerns for the Indian side – one with all-rounder Hardik Pandya and other with former captain Rohit Sharma. Pandya has been struggling with back spasms in the middle of the IPL 2026 campaign which finished last month. The Mumbai Indians captain as well as Rohit Sharma need to get clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) before they can join the rest of the Indian ODI squad for the series.
In what will be good news for Indian team ahead of the Afghanistan ODI series, Pandya is set to get a clearance from CoE to take part in the ODI series. Indians have already suffered a big blow with former captain Virat Kohli ruled out of the series with a hamstring injury.
The 32-year-old Pandya, who missed four IPL 2026 matches for Mumbai Indians due to back spasms, has been at the CoE in Bengaluru since June 2. “Hardik was on a holiday abroad before he checked in at the CoE on June 2. Over the next five days, he did several match simulations and even bowled (full quota of) 10 overs,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by PTI.
“There has been no discomfort and the information is that his fitness data for various parameters has been okayed by Strength and Conditioning coaches at the CoE,” the source added.
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On Monday, India’s assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak had said that although he doesn’t have an update on Pandya’s fitness status, but the former Saurashtra batter believed the all-rounder was doing fine. The MI all-rounder will be an important member in India’s white-ball squad as he lends balance with his pace bowling and big-hitting in the death overs.
The PTI report added that Pandya is now bowling 10 overs in training session which means that he is ready for the rigours of 50-over cricket as well. Pandya last played ODI cricket for Team India last year in ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final which Indians won under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma against New Zealand in Dubai.
It wasn’t clear yet if Pandya will join with the team in Mohali for a training session under lights or directly link up in Dharamsala which was the original plan.
Meanwhile, MI and Team India opener Rohit Sharma is also at CoE to get an assessment on his hamstring niggle that kept him out of action for a number of matches during the recent IPL 2026.
