Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya declared fit for Afghanistan ODIs after receiving fitness clearance from CoE

Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma will feature in the ODIs against Afghanistan after being declared fit.

Updated on: Jun 9, 2026, 14:05:18 IST

By Vishesh Roy

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The decks have been cleared for Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma to feature in the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, beginning June 13 in Dharamsala. The two senior players have been given the go-ahead by the Sports Science Team of BCCI's (Board of Control for Cricket in India) Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. There was intense speculation over whether the two would feature against Afghanistan after missing several games for the Mumbai Indians during the IPL 2026 season.

Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma will feature in the ODIs against Afghanistan (AFP)

However, sources familiar with the developments confirmed on Tuesday that both Rohit and Hardik have been cleared to play and will feature in the ODIs against Afghanistan.

"Rohit and Hardik have been given the necessary clearance. Both players have been given the go-ahead and will feature in the series against Afghanistan," a BCCI source confirmed to Hindustan Times Digital.

Also Read: Injured Virat Kohli officially replaced in Afghanistan ODIs, BCCI shares crucial update

Pandya missed some IPL 2026 matches due to back spasms, while Rohit was battling a hamstring injury. Even when he returned to the playing fold for the Mumbai Indians, he only played as an impact sub.

Pandya reached the CoE on June 2, while Rohit reported in Bengaluru on Monday, June 8. On Saturday, when the BCCI announced the squad for the T20I series against Ireland and England, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said Rohit would reach the CoE in the next two or three days, and that is exactly what happened.

“As far as Hardik Pandya and Rohit are concerned, Hardik is already at the CoE in Bengaluru. Very soon, he will take the final test and will be in the process of obtaining the clearance certificate. As far as Rohit is concerned, he will also be visiting the CoE in the next two or three days. We are following a process for whoever gets injured; every player needs to get the certificate from our team at the CoE,” Saikia told reporters at the BCCI headquarters on June 6.

What did Team India management say?

On Monday, after the conclusion of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, Team India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said he had no update on Hardik and Rohit's fitness.

“I have honestly not got the news whether they have been cleared or not. But I’m sure they will be there. Whatever I heard, they are fine, but they, they have to go and do that fitness test or whatever the rule is,” Kotak said when asked about the status of the duo’s fitness test,” Kotak told reporters in the post-match press conference.

Virat Kohli has already been ruled out of the ODIs against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury he picked up in the IPL 2026 final against the Gujarat Titans. Yashasvi Jaiswal has been named as his replacement.

It's not known when Kohli will check in at the CoE to get a fitness clearance. As of now, it's expected that the former India captain would recover in time for the three-match ODI series against England in July.

Apart from Dharamsala, the remaining two ODIs between India and Afghanistan will be played in Lucknow and Chennai on June 17 and June 20, respectively.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishesh Roy
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More

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