Injury rules India spinner out of Afghanistan T20Is
The setback comes after Varun Chakaravarthy's recent return for India, and the spinner will miss the remainder of the T20I series against Afghanistan.
India spinner Varun Chakaravarthy will miss the remaining two T20Is against Afghanistan in Delhi after experiencing discomfort in his side.
With respect to the spinner, BCCI stated, "Varun Chakaravarthy experienced sudden-onset discomfort in his left lateral abdominal region while bowling his third over in the first T20I.
"Scans have revealed a side strain, and he has subsequently been ruled out of the remaining two T20Is."
The spinner is in a race to be fit before India's next international assignments, which will be Japan, in the form of a one-off T20I against Japan and the Asian Games 2026.
Chakaravarthy had only just returned to India’s T20I side in Sunday’s series opener after a two-month absence.
Having recovered from a hamstring injury sustained during the third T20I against England in July, he made an impact on his comeback, bowling four overs for 1 for 16 and sending down 13 dot balls as India won by seven wickets.
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India have not yet announced a replacement for the final two matches. Ravi Bishnoi and Washington Sundar are already part of the squad and provide options in the spin department.
Bishnoi played all three T20Is on India’s tour of Zimbabwe in July after replacing Chakaravarthy in the squad. He took three wickets during that series and was added to the squad for the second T20Is against Afghanistan.
Sundar offers India an additional batting option and is also returning from injury after recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during the England tour. Axar Patel provides another spin option, having nabbed bowling figures of 1/27 in the opening T20I.
India will face Afghanistan in the remaining two T20Is on September 15 and 17, respectively, in Delhi before travelling to Sano for a historic one-off T20I against Japan on September 22, following which, they will then begin their Asian Games campaign in Japan.