Harshit Rana added to India squad for third ODI against Afghanistan
Mumbai, June 19
India all-rounder Harshit Rana has been added to the India squad for the third and final ODI against Afghanistan, scheduled to take place on Saturday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, the BCCI said on Friday.
.
Rana, who has completed his rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE), has linked up with the ODI squad in Chennai.
"The Men's Selection Committee has added Harshit Rana to the India squad for the third and final IDFC First Bank ODI against Afghanistan. Rana, who has completed his rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE), has linked up with the ODI squad in Chennai," the BCCI statement read.
The all-rounder suffered a ligament strain in his right knee during the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup warm-up game against South Africa in Navi Mumbai and pulled out after having delivered just one over and subsequently underwent surgery. He was replaced by Mohammed Siraj, as India went on to win the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup at home.
The right-arm quick was also ruled out of IPL 2026 due to his recovery from the knee surgery he underwent in February, with Kolkata Knight Riders signing right-arm pacer Navdeep Saini as his replacement for the tournament.
The 24-year-old has played 14 ODIs for India, taking 16 wickets at an average of 27.38 and an economy rate of 6.21. His last appearance for India came during the home T20I series against New Zealand in January this year.
Rana has also been named in India's squad for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, where the team is scheduled to play seven T20Is.
India leads the three-ODI series against Afghanistan 2-0 after victories in Dharamsala and Lucknow.
Updated squad for the third ODI against Afghanistan: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harshit Rana
— IANS
Reader Comments
That's a long injury layoff for Rana. Missed IPL and World Cup. But if he's been bowling well in nets, he deserves a chance. India really need to manage his workload with 7 T20Is in England coming up.
Honestly, don't understand why we need 4 fast bowlers in the squad for a dead rubber. Arshdeep, Prasidh, Prince and now Rana? Also no Bumrah or Shami for this series. Nice to see Harsh Dubey getting a look though.
Great news! Harshit Rana has always shown promise. His 16 wickets in 14 ODIs is decent. But I hope he's fully fit and not rushed back. Knee injuries can be tricky. India's pace bowling depth is scary good now.
This is a smart move by the selectors. Give Rana some match practice before the England tour. The third ODI is already won, so why not try him? Also, nice to see Prince Yadav and Gurnoor Brar in the squad. Good times for Indian cricket! 🇮🇳
Bit surprised they didn't give Hardik a rest or try someone new in the middle order. But Rana replacing Siraj is fine. Hope he bowls with good pace and control. Chennai pitch should assist seamers early on. Good luck to him!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.