New Delhi: India wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has been ruled out of the remaining two T20Is against Afghanistan, to be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, after suffering a fresh injury. The recent setback also leaves in doubt Chakaravarthy’s availability for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan.
Chakaravarthy, 35, picked up the latest injury during India’s seven-wicket victory in the series opener on Sunday, where he picked up 1-16 in his four overs. “Yes, Varun is ruled out of the series against Afghanistan. Scans have confirmed that he’s picked up a side strain. It remains to be seen when he’s asked to report to the CoE,” said a source familiar with the matter to IANS on Monday.
Chakravarthy was making his comeback to the Indian team after recovering from a hamstring injury, which he picked up on tour of England, at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. That injury forced him to miss the T20I tour of Zimbabwe in July. He previously suffered a hairline fracture in his left foot during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 while playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Speaking in the post-match press conference, where he didn’t show any signs of picking up the latest injury, Chakaravarthy spoke about the toll of constant physical rehabilitation and the demands placed on modern-day cricketers.
“Injuries are very common for all sportspeople, and it just shows that we are working, and we are giving our best. Sometimes, we push beyond our limits, and that’s when the body gives in. So, that’s when we have to take a step back and work better and come back stronger,” he had said.
India lead the three-match series 1-0 heading into the second T20I to be played on Tuesday, with the final match set to be played on Thursday. India’s other spin bowling options are Kuldeep Yadav, Krunal Pandya, and uncapped Vipraj Nigam, with Harsh Dubey and Shahbaz Ahmed doing rehab at the CoE to recover from their respective injuries.
(IANS)
