Yash Thakur Replaces Injured Harshit Rana in India's Squads for Afghanistan T20Is and 2026 Asian Games

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Men's Selection Committee has named Vidarbha fast bowler Yash Thakur as the official replacement for injured pacer Harshit Rana in India's squads for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan and the upcoming 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Harshit Rana, who was undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, sustained a rectus femoris muscle strain while bowling in a match simulation session on September 7, 2026, forcing him out of both upcoming national assignments. This injury comes as a setback for 24-year-old Rana, who had previously suffered a hamstring injury during India's tour of England in July and was subsequently working towards full match fitness. For 27-year-old Yash Thakur, the call-up marks a major opportunity to establish his position in the national setup. Thakur made his international T20 debut during India's tour of Zimbabwe in July, claiming four wickets in two matches, and has produced strong performances for Vidarbha in domestic white-ball competitions and the Indian Premier League. India's T20I squad, captained by Shreyas Iyer with Tilak Varma serving as vice-captain, faces Afghanistan in a three-match bilateral series in New Delhi from September 13 to 17 before departing for Japan to defend their Asian Games gold medal. The team management expressed confidence in Thakur's ability to seamlessly step into the pace attack alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.