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Atul Wassan, former India cricketer believes Virat Kohli‘s absence from the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Team India. According to Wassan, the break will help manage Kohli’s workload ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup while also creating opportunities for emerging talents such as Yashasvi 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 batter remained unbeaten on 75 and played a crucial role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title-winning campaign, helping the franchise secure back-to-back IPL trophies. What was initially believed to be cramps was later confirmed to be a hamstring issue.The three-match ODI series against Afghanistan begins on June 13 in Dharamshala, with the remaining matches scheduled to be played in Lucknow and Chennai. In Kohli’s absence, young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has been drafted into the squad. Jaiswal last featured in an ODI against South Africa, where he scored a century.Speaking to ANI, Wassan welcomed the decision to rest Kohli.“I’m actually happy with this news about Virat Kohli missing this series against Afghanistan. I thought it would have been overkill if Virat played every single series going forward to the next World Cup. Looking at the intensity on his body during the IPL, and him playing in this heat at his age, I think it would have been pragmatic for him to take a backseat anyway,” Wassan said.The former cricketer compared Kohli’s workload management to that of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and stressed the importance of preserving key players for major ICC tournaments.“We have to take a balanced look at how we use Bumrah these days. These are the two guys we have to save in cotton wool because we want to take them to the next World Cup. That’s where every team wants its best players available and performing,” he added.Wassan also highlighted the depth of Indian cricket, pointing out that Kohli’s absence opens the door for a player of Jaiswal’s calibre.“Imagine, Virat goes out and Jaiswal comes in. Can you imagine the embarrassment of riches Indian cricket has? Even a player like Yashasvi Jaiswal is struggling to find a regular place in the ODI side, and now he gets an opportunity. I think it’s a win-win situation for India. I’m not even a little bit bothered about Virat not playing, and for me, it’s actually good news,” Wassan asserted. Looking ahead, Wassan emphasized that Kohli’s experience will be vital during India’s ODI tour of England, which begins on July 14.“By the England tour, because we’re playing in England, I think we’ll need him there to rally the forces. I think it’s the perfect outcome for us,” he concluded.Kohli enjoyed a remarkable 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 indicated that Kohli could return for the series if his recovery progresses as expected in the coming weeks.
