3 Instances when Virat Kohli missed a complete series

Star India batter Virat Kohli is known as one of the fittest athletes in the world. Kohli brought a fitness revolution in Indian cricket, inspiring generations by setting the highest standards of athleticism on the field. The batting stalwart has openly spoken about how levelling up his fitness affected his performances on the field as he reached unprecedented heights in his career.

In his almost 18-year-long illustrious career, Kohli has never compromised on his fitness standards and has rarely missed a series. However, there have been very few instances when the star batter has missed assignments either due to fitness issues or personal reasons. Here are three such instances where Kohli missed an entire series due to various reasons:

1. India vs Sri Lanka, ODI and T20I series, 2017 

After playing the three Test matches against Sri Lanka and guiding India to a 1-0 victory, winning the Player of the Match in two games as well as the Player of the Series, Kohli missed the ODI and T20I series against the same opposition. While the reason behind his absence wasn’t specified at first, it was later revealed that Kohli missed the entire white-ball series due to his wedding.

2. Asia Cup 2018

Coming fresh from a long tour to England, where India played three ODIs as many T20Is and five Tests, Virat Kohli was rested for Asia Cup 2018. However, his absence didn’t matter much as Rohit Sharma guided the team to a successful triumph as India beat Bangladesh in a thrilling final.

3. India vs Afghanistan ODI series, 2026

For the first time ever, Kohli will be missing an entire series due to an injury as he’s been ruled out of the upcoming three-match ODI assignment against Afghanistan. The star batter injured his hamstring while playing in the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) final against Gujarat Titans and is also doubtful for the following England ODI series as well.