India Faces Injury Setbacks Ahead of T20I Matches Against England
India’s challenges have increased in the ongoing T20I series against England, as fast bowler Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the last two matches due to a hamstring injury, as announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on July 9.
This news comes just two weeks after Rana made his return to competitive cricket, following a four-month break due to a prior injury. He recently played in the T20I series against Ireland, but now faces another setback after participating in only five matches.
Rana’s absence is a significant blow for the Indian team, which currently trails 2-1 in the five-match series against England, led by Harry Brook.
Why is Harshit Rana Missing Out?
The young bowler has struggled to find his rhythm since his return to the game. In the last two weeks, he bowled just 14 overs before being sidelined again.
The injury woes don’t stop there; spinner Varun Chakravarthy has also been ruled out for the rest of the series due to a similar hamstring issue. The BCCI has stated that both players are under observation, but there’s no timeline for their return.
Rana has had a tough year, having previously suffered a knee injury just before the T20 World Cup, which caused him to miss the important tournament. He was expected to be a key player alongside Jasprit Bumrah, but his injury forced those plans to change.
What was anticipated to be a brief absence turned into a long recovery period, and Rana ended up missing the entire IPL 2026 season. Just when he made his comeback against Ireland, another injury has now halted his progress.
With India needing to win to stay in the series after losing two of the first three matches, Rana’s absence adds yet another layer of difficulty for the team as they prepare for the fourth T20I against England.
