The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the ODI team to take on England in the upcoming away series on Sunday. Virat Kohli, who is currently away from the action because of a hamstring injury, has been named for the ODI series against England.
A day after the squad announcement, a few videos involving Virat Kohli are going viral on social media platforms. Kohli’s participation in the ODIs against England is subject to his fitness status.
Virat Kohli is in Bengaluru for the fitness test at the BCCI’s CoE
According to the reports, the batting maestro reached Bengaluru to undergo a fitness test at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE). The seriousness of the injury and a possible time frame for his return to the ground will be known after the fitness test.
VIRAT KOHLI IN BENGALURU 🐐
— It’s time for the Fitness Test & return to his best format. pic.twitter.com/NaRReJUVtF
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 22, 2026
Why is Virat Kohli necessary for Team India in England?
Ahead of the Team India tour to England for the white-ball series, Virat will have to prove his fitness. Under the overseas conditions, where pacers traditionally get extra assistance from the pitches, a veteran like Virat Kohli in the dressing room will be beneficial for the squad, as there will be multiple emerging players.
Kohli was in stunning form during the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026). In 16 matches and 16 innings, the top-order batter concluded the season for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) with 675 runs at an average of 56.25 and a strike rate of 165.84.
Last time he featured for the national cricket team, Virat Kohli was in stunning form. Ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, when India was up against New Zealand for a white-ball series, including a 3-match ODI contest, Virat scored 93, 23, and 124 runs in the first, second, and third ODIs, respectively.
Virat ruled out of the India vs Afghanistan ODIs.
He was about to play in the recently concluded India vs Afghanistan ODI series, but was ruled out because of the hamstring injury that he received during the IPL 2026 season final. It is assumed that the RCB opener injured himself during the final against the Gujarat Titans while batting in the second innings. He might have batted with pain.
Virat’s injury came to light after the IPL 2026 final, amid India’s preparations for the Afghanistan series. Despite the uncertainties over the batter, the selectors kept him in the team.
As of now, the uncertainty over Virat remains; it was the same before the series against Afghanistan. The experienced batter’s availability for the ODIs in England will be dependent on how he passes the fitness test at the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s Center of Excellence.
If he is unable to prove his fitness levels, then the board may have to announce a replacement. For the ODIs against Afghanistan, Yashasvi Jaiswal joined the team as the replacement for the injured Kohli.