Varun Chakaravarthy out of Afghanistan T20Is with side strain, set to leave for CoE

Varun Chakaravarthy Out of Afghanistan T20I Series (Side Strain) – Asian Games Participation Uncertain

• Injury: Suffered a side strain during Sunday’s T20I at Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi.
• Immediate Action: Released from the Afghanistan series; will fly to Bengaluru within 24‑48 hrs for scans and assessment by the Centre of Excellence (CoE) medical team.
• Asian Games Outlook: With India departing for Japan on Sept 18 and the first Asian Games match on Sept 28, his participation remains doubtful pending medical clearance.
• Recent Performance: Bowled his full quota of 4 overs, finishing with 1/16 (two no‑balls).
• Injury History:
  • July: Hamstring injury forced early return from England T20I series; missed Zimbabwe series.
  • Spent ~2 months at CoE for rehab before being selected for Afghanistan series and Asian Games.
• Player Quote: “Injuries are part of an athlete’s life. When we push beyond limits the body gives in, so we must step back, work harder and come back stronger.”

Key dates:

• Sept 18: India leaves New Delhi for Japan.
• Sept 28: India’s first Asian Games cricket match.