India will be without Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy for the remaining two matches of the ongoing five-match T20I series against England after both bowlers were ruled out with hamstring injuries. The Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed the development on Thursday, a day before the fourth T20I in Bristol, where India were forced to make changes to the bowling combination.
With the two bowlers unavailable, India brought Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar into the playing XI for the fourth match of the series. The injuries also raise a fresh question over Harshit’s availability for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England, which begins next week.
BCCI confirms injuries after Trent Bridge game
Harshit and Varun picked up the injuries during the third T20I at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Tuesday. Following medical assessment, the BCCI said both had been ruled out of the final two games of the series. The BCCI posted on X,
“Update: Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy sustained hamstring injuries in the third T20I against England at Trent Bridge. The BCCI Medical Team has assessed them and ruled them out of the 4th and 5th T20Is."
The absence of two frontline options comes at a time when India are already trying to recover from a heavy defeat in the third T20I. While the board has not yet given a timeline for Harshit’s return, his recovery will be monitored closely with the ODI leg of the tour around the corner.
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Both bowlers featured in all three T20Is before setback
Before being sidelined, Harshit and Varun had played in all three matches of the T20I series. Neither got an opportunity to bowl in the opening game at Chester-le-Street after rain interrupted the contest and washed out the second innings.
In the second T20I at Old Trafford, Harshit returned figures of 1 for 30 in three overs, while Varun picked up one wicket and finished with 1 for 37 from his full quota. Harshit followed that with 2 for 40 in the third T20I at Trent Bridge, dismissing Jacob Bethell and Tom Banton. Varun, meanwhile, went wicketless in that match and conceded 35 runs in three overs before both bowlers were eventually ruled out of the remainder of the series.
