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Harshit Rana has been officially ruled out of India’s T20 squads for the Afghanistan series and Asian Games. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Thursday that fast bowler Yash Thakur has been named as a replacement for Rana in India’s squads for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan and the Asian Games.
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Rana, a promising right-arm pacer, was ruled out after sustaining a rectus femoris strain in his thigh while bowling during a match simulation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence on 7 September. The injury occurred as he was progressing well in his preparation for the white-ball assignments.
Harshit Rana ruled out of India's T20 squads for Afghanistan series & Asian Games; replacement announced
Meanwhile, he has now been replaced by Thakur in both squads. Thakur, the 27-year-old Vidarbha pacer, made his T20I debut during India’s tour of Zimbabwe in July 2026, claiming four wickets in two matches. Domestically, he has taken 81 wickets in 50 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy appearances at an economy rate of 7.04.
This comes after Rana’s prolonged injury layoff, as he subsequently injured his knee during the warm-up match against South Africa ahead of the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup. Following this, he was forced to withdraw from the tournament. He also missed out on the 2026 Indian Premier League after undergoing surgery.
Following the rehabilitation, Rana returned to the third ODI against Afghanistan. However, following the latest setback, his comeback has been delayed. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer will captain both sides. The Afghanistan T20I series is set to be played in Delhi, while the Asian Games squad features a blend of experience and youth, including Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma and emerging talents such as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
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