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Harshit Rana ruled out of two major India assignments after fresh injury setback; Yash Thakur gets his chance
Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the upcoming Afghanistan T20I series and the 2026 Asian Games after suffering another injury setback during rehabilitation, with Vidarbha pacer Yash Thakur named as his replacement.
India’s preparations for two important white-ball assignments have suffered a setback, with fast bowler Harshit Rana ruled out of both the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan and the 2026 Asian Games.
Rana, who had been working towards a return after a difficult spell on the sidelines, suffered a fresh injury while undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE). The latest setback means the pacer will have to wait longer before returning to international action.
The selectors have brought in Yash Thakur as Rana’s replacement for both assignments, handing the 27-year-old Vidarbha fast bowler another opportunity to strengthen his position in India’s T20I setup.
Harshit Rana’s injury troubles continue
The latest development adds another frustrating chapter to Rana’s recent injury struggles.
The fast bowler had earlier undergone surgery for a knee injury, which kept him out of the 2026 T20 World Cup as well as IPL 2026. After recovering, Rana returned to the Indian setup but suffered another setback during India’s tour of England, this time with a hamstring injury.
He subsequently returned to the BCCI Centre of Excellence for rehabilitation. However, a fresh problem reportedly emerged during a match simulation, ruling him out of the Afghanistan series as well as India’s Asian Games campaign.
For Rana, the setback is particularly disappointing as repeated fitness issues have prevented him from building a sustained run in India’s white-ball teams.
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Yash Thakur handed another international opportunity
Rana’s absence has opened the door for Yash Thakur, who has already had a taste of international cricket.
The Vidarbha seamer has represented India in two T20Is and picked up four wickets during the team’s tour of Zimbabwe. His performances in domestic cricket have also kept him in the selectors’ plans.
Thakur has featured in 50 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches, taking 81 wickets while maintaining an economy rate of 7.04.
With his ability to operate effectively in the shorter format, Thakur now has another opportunity to impress the Indian team management ahead of a busy period of international cricket.
India set for Afghanistan series before Asian Games
India will host Afghanistan for three T20Is in Delhi, with the matches scheduled for September 13, 15 and 17.
The series will provide India with valuable preparation before attention shifts to the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.
With Harshit Rana unavailable, Thakur joins a pace attack that also includes established names such as Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.
India’s updated squad for Afghanistan T20I series
Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Yash Thakur.
The focus will now be on Rana’s recovery, while Yash Thakur has a fresh opportunity to make his case for a more regular place in India’s T20I plans.
