India star, Gautam Gambhir’s trump card injured before T20 World Cup 2026

Harshit Rana picked up an injury [Source: AFP]

In a massive setback for India, their star player and one of Gautam Gambhir's trump cards, Harshit Rana, injured himself during the T20 World Cup warmup match against South Africa. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India posted a gigantic total of 240 runs after opting to bat first. During South Africa's run-chase, Harshit Rana could bowl a single over as he damaged his knee before walking off the field. 

It's worth noting that the fixture against South Africa is the only warmup match of the Indian team that will participate in the T20 World Cup 2026, starting on February 7. The Ayush Badoni-led India-A faced the United States in the previous warmup game and will also take on Namibia on Friday. 

Harshit Rana sustains knee injury ahead of T20 World Cup

After winning the toss, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav elected to bat first and make the most of the favourable conditions at Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. Riding on Ishan Kishan's blistering fifty and the fireworks from Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya, India hammered 240 runs on the board. 

On the other hand, South Africa had the worst possible start to the run chase, losing George Linde in the very first over. However, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton amazed the spectators with some elegant shots before Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav brought Harshit Rana into the attack. 

Rana, who has consistently been backed by India's head coach Gautam Gambhir, bowled an expensive over and conceded 16 runs. But beyond his ordinary outing, what emerged as a major concern for India was a knee injury that forced him to leave the field midway through the match. 

Harshit Rana hurt his right knee before being called back to the dugout. Although the BCCI has yet to release an official word on the matter, the fast bowler's injury in the warm-up fixture is undoubtedly a blow to the Indian team ahead of the main event. 

Why could Harshit Rana's injury prove costly for India?

Ace speedster Jasprit Bumrah and left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh are undoubtedly the two most likely names to lead the Indian pace attack in the T20 World Cup 2026. However, Harshit Rana ensures flexibility and balance in the Indian lineup, providing the Men in Blue with an extra all-round option. 

The right-arm pacer is one of India's most improved players of late, having bagged 35 wickets across 22 international matches since 2025. He enjoyed stellar success in the home ODI series against New Zealand, scalping six wickets in three innings. His ability to chip in with crucial breakthroughs and add handy runs to the tally makes Rana a valuable asset for the Indian team. 

Therefore, India must hope he recovers in time, with only three days left before their T20 World Cup 2026 opener against the United States. After that, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side are scheduled to face Namibia, Pakistan and the Netherlands in their subsequent group A matches.