Harshit Rana Doubtful For Afghanistan T20Is, Asian Games After Fresh Injury

Harshit Rana suffered an injury [Source: AFP]In a major update, Harshit Rana, the Indian pacer who was already suffering from multiple injury concerns before IPL 2026, is likely to miss the upcoming Afghanistan T20I series and the subsequent Asian Games 2026 as well.For the unaware, Harshit Rana sustained a hamstring injury in the third T20I against England at Trent Bridge earlier this year. Before that, Rana had injured his knee during India's warm-up match against South Africa in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup 2026.He then recovered for a short duration, but now again, Rana's immediate return to international cricket seems very much unlikely due to an injury he picked up recently.Harshit Rana Suffers Fresh Injury Setback; Set to Miss AFG T20Is and Asian GamesRana was added to the Afghanistan T20I squad as one of the frontline pace bowlers, alongside Arshdeep Singh. He was also named in the Asian Games 2026 squad, as his recovery process at the Bengaluru Centre of Excellence was going well. However, as per a recent report from the Times of India, Rana injured himself during a match simulation, which was part of the return-to-play protocol on Tuesday. Importantly, the injury does not look good at the moment, and it has put major doubt over his participation in the upcoming series and the tournament.Also Read- Harshit Rana, Shivam Dube Stripped Of Allrounders' Tag By India LegendThe Afghanistan T20Is are set to be played on September 13, 15 and 17, and the Asian Games 2026 will commence on September 28 for India; the recovery time for the bowler ahead of these dates seems like racing against the time.How Has Harshit Rana Performed in T20Is for India?Overall, Harshit Rana has played 14 T20Is for India, scalping 16 wickets at a strike rate of 15.7. He has showcased his power-hitting skills as a lower order batter, amassing 101 runs at a strike rate of 110.98. He was on a decently impressive run before the injury streak hit him. Although Rana failed to impress in the Asia Cup and Australia series, he starred in the India vs New Zealand series before making his comeback in the Ireland T20Is after the injury setback. In Ireland and England, Harshit Rana produced optimal batting firepower as well, making him a valuable tail-end hitter with the bat. Nevertheless, he will be replaced, and the BCCI will be keen to add a replacement for him to the squad. Harshit Rana's potential replacements in India T20I squadsThe most likely replacements that India can have in place of Harshit Rana are Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, and Yash Thakur, while Ashok Sharma is also an option. Prince Yadav has shown his ability beautifully by picking up nine wickets from the six T20I matches he has played in the last year. Mayank Yadav is also a massive talent, having already picked up five wickets from his three T20I games while bowling at an economy rate of 6.54. Yash Thakur, although unlikely, is also a solid option, with an average of 18.75 from the two T20I games he has played for India in the last 12 months. Overall, from the above options, Prince Yadav's inclusion seems most likely as a fitting replacement for the KKR star.Also Read- Dubai Stadium Pitch Report, Weather Report For India Women vs Bangladesh Women- Asia Cup 2026