India spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has been ruled out of the T20 series against Afghanistan due to a fresh injury, casting significant doubt on his participation in the upcoming Asian Games. This comes shortly after his recovery from a previous hamstring injury, raising concerns about player injury management.
Harshit's fitness, Varun's longevity under scanner post hamstring injuries
Yash Thakur replaces injured Harshit Rana in India's T20I squad for the Afghanistan series and Asian Games. Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Reddy, and Washington Sundar have been cleared for both assignments after recovering from injuries. India's T20I series against Afghanistan begins September 13, followed by the Asian Games campaign starting September 28.
The mystery spinner has not bowled to his strength, says former India spinner Piyush Chawla.
India, having already secured the T20 series against Afghanistan, is likely to experiment with its playing XI in the third and final match in New Delhi. This provides an opportunity for players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and others on the bench to get game time before the Asian Games, while Afghanistan aims for an improved performance to boost morale.
The Indian women's cricket team declined to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi, a decision confirmed by BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla as a 'collective' stance. This follows a precedent set by the men's team after a terror attack, with the BCCI having communicated its position to the ACC in advance.
Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant were not picked in Indian team for the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies, while Ruturaj Gaikwad made a return to the one-day team.
Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Harshit Rana have been included in India's T20I squad for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan, pending fitness clearance from the BCCI's Centre of Excellence.
'Had a wonderful interaction with them on their journey, shaped by perseverance, discipline, and self-belief.'
Former India cricketer Vivek Razdan has shared his preferred batting lineup for India's first T20I against Afghanistan, advocating for Shreyas Iyer to retain his number four spot and Sanju Samson to open the innings. Razdan emphasized performance over the left-right batting combination, highlighting Samson's recent T20 form. The series opener will also see a selection dilemma with multiple openers available and marks Iyer's first home series as captain.
India is set to face Afghanistan in the second T20I, aiming to clinch the series despite ongoing concerns about a reliable fifth bowling option in the absence of Hardik Pandya. The team delivered a dominant performance in the first match, securing a seven-wicket victory.
Krunal Pandya kept his India comeback hopes alive after missing the Afghanistan T20I squad, following a strong IPL season where he impressed with bat and ball.
Kris Srikkanth questioned whether India's star-studded Afghanistan squad was picked out of fear after recent defeats, arguing the series offered an ideal chance to blood promising youngsters.
Sanju Samson smashed a quick 57 as India beat Afghanistan by seven wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.
India's T20I squad against England has been hit by a double injury blow, with pacer Harshit Rana and spinner Varun Chakaravarthy ruled out of the remaining two matches due to hamstring injuries sustained during the third T20I defeat. Washington Sundar and Prasidh Krishna have been named as replacements.
Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane said the decision to continue playing mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy despite a fractured left toe was taken only after clearance from the medical staff.
Young pacer Harshit Rana and veteran spinner Varun Chakravarthy have been ruled out of India's upcoming ODI and T20I assignments due to hamstring injuries. Prince Yadav will replace Rana in the ODI squad for England, while Ravi Bishnoi steps in for Chakravarthy for the T20I series in Zimbabwe.
Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara and ex-assistant coach Abhishek Nayar have offered critical insights into India's recent T20I series defeat against England, highlighting issues with middle-order depth, all-rounders, poor fielding, and struggles against short balls.
It remains to be seen if India will fall back on Sanju Samson to revive their sagging fortunes with a revamped batting order in the must-win fourth T20 International in Bristol on Thursday.
Mohammed Siraj has been rested from India's T20I squads for the upcoming tours against Ireland and England as a precautionary measure for workload management. Prasidh Krishna has been named as his replacement. The BCCI stated this decision ensures Siraj's recovery ahead of a long international season, following his recent participation in IPL 2026 and a Test match.
India's mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy took 5 wickets for 42 runs in a convincing 44-run victory over New Zealand in their final Champions Trophy group game, sending India through to the semifinals alongside the Kiwis.
KKR spinner Chakravarthy, who bagged two wickets, gestured to CSK's Dewald Brewis to leave the field after dismissing him for 52 in the IPL match in Kolkata on Wednesday.
Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill criticised his team's fielding performance after their loss to Kolkata Knight Riders, citing dropped catches as a key factor in the defeat.
Ravi Bishnoi opens up on missing three T20 World Cups, his desire to become a permanent fixture in India's T20 side, and his goal of securing a place in the 2028 World Cup squad.
After his stellar performance, Chakaravarthy credited senior players for helping him settle his nerves during the game.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma has been fined 25 per cent of his match fees and received a demerit point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during the match against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif has pointed out Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar's struggles with short balls in the ongoing IPL, suggesting he needs to work on his technique.
Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green has praised Jasprit Bumrah, calling him the best bowler in the world.
Kolkata Knight Riders ended Sunrisers Hyderabad's five-match winning streak with a dominant seven-wicket win in Hyderabad, powered by a clinical bowling display and a composed chase led by Angkrish Raghuvanshi.
A timely unbeaten 53 from vice-captain Rinku Singh and a fine spell from Varun Chakravarthy powered former champions Kolkata Knight Riders to their first win of IPL 2026.
Kolkata Knight Riders will aim for nothing less than a win when they clash against Delhi Capitals in the season's final league match of IPL 2026.
India's key spinner Varun Chakaravarthy fine-tunes his bowling skills in a dedicated training session ahead of the crucial T20 World Cup semifinal clash against England, focusing on length and control.
India bowling coach Morne Morkel backs Varun Chakaravarthy as a key strike bowler, stresses collective pressure ahead of T20 World Cup Super 8 clash vs South Africa.
Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan lead the ICC T20I player rankings, while Connor Esterhuizen makes a significant jump after a strong series against New Zealand.
Kolkata Knight Riders face Mumbai Indians in a crucial IPL match, needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Their fate also depends on other match results.
Indian batter Abhishek Sharma and bowler Varun Chakaravarthy retained their career-best number two positions in the latest ICC T20I rankings.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will aim to rediscover their batting form against Kolkata Knight Riders, whose in-form bowling attack has revived their IPL 2026 playoff hopes.
Vaibhav Arora credits Rinku Singh's match-winning 83 and Sunil Narine's Super Over brilliance as KKR defeat LSG in a thrilling IPL 2026 clash to keep playoff hopes alive.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, riding high on a five-match winning streak, will face a resurgent Kolkata Knight Riders in an IPL match. SRH's strong batting line-up, featuring in-form players like Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen, will challenge KKR's bowling attack. KKR, led by Ajinkya Rahane, aims to continue their comeback after consecutive wins.
Lucknow Super Giants coach Justin Langer defended the decision to send Nicholas Pooran to face Sunil Narine in the Super Over, citing Pooran's experience against Narine despite his recent form. Langer also praised Mohsin Khan's performance and potential for the Indian team.
