The only cricketer who is still likely to be ruled out for the three-match series will be Delhi and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Harshit Rana, who had made his comeback against Afghanistan in ODI series earlier this year. But the biggest good news for the reigning T20 World Cup champions will be the availability of Bumrah, who has been out of action since the second ODI match against England in July this year – same as all-rounder Washington Sundar.
The selectors wanted to pick Bumrah only for ODIs and Test matches in the lead up to the ICC ODI World Cup 2027 but want to test his fitness in the shorter format of the game this month. Bumrah and all-rounder Nitish Reddy, nursing knee and quadriceps injury respectively, were included in the India squad subject to fitness.
Bumrah has been out of action since India’s ODI tour to England in July with a left knee injury. “Both Bumrah and Reddy are on track for their comeback,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by PTI news agency.
The 32-year-old pacer has claimed 121 wickets for Team India in T20I cricket in 95 matches at an amazing average of 18.08. His last T20I match was the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand in March this year.
Harshit Rana to spend more time on sidelines
Rana, who was retained for Rs 4 crore by Shah Rukh Khan’s KKR ahead of IPL 2026, last played T20I cricket for India on the tour of England. He is unlikely to be fit in time for the three match series against Afghanistan beginning on September 13.
Rana was also included in the India squad for the three games in Delhi subject to fitness. He was also named in the Asian Games 2026 squad. “He has not yet fully recovered from his hamstring injury. He will need more time,” a BCCI source told PTI.
Rana was nursing a hamstring injury like Washington Sundar, who has been deemed fit for the Afghanistan series. After the Afghanistan series, India play a one-off game against Japan in Tokyo on September 22. They will open their Asian Games 2026 campaign with a semifinal on September 28.