India faced a setback in their T20 World Cup campaign as fast bowler Harshit Rana was ruled out due to a knee injury from a warm-up match. Mohammed Siraj will replace him, as reported by BCCI sources.
Rana got injured during a warm-up game against South Africa, where he bowled just one over, giving away 16 runs before leaving the field. His situation raised concerns, confirmed by captain Suryakumar Yadav before India’s opening match against the USA.
“Harshit Rana has not been ruled out yet; the physios are assessing him but he does not look good,” Suryakumar said at a pre-match press conference, indicating Rana might not recover in time.
While Suryakumar tried to minimize the impact of the injury, he noted that Rana’s absence would affect their plans.
“If he is not available, we will set different combinations. We have enough players for this tournament, but we will definitely miss him,” he added.
Rana, who has played in nine T20 Internationals with an economy rate of 10.60, was not a guaranteed starter but offered a valuable option in certain conditions. His batting ability in the lower order also provided balance to the team.
With Rana out, experienced pacer Mohammed Siraj has been included in the team. Other fast-bowling options include Prasidh Krishna.
Additionally, all-rounder Washington Sundar is a concern due to a side strain and rib muscle tear.
“We will see which fast bowlers have performed well in the last year or two, or if there’s any bowler who can bat as well,” Suryakumar said regarding possible lineups.
“There’s no strict requirement for a lower-order batsman, as expecting a No.9 or No.10 to hit a six overlooks what the other batsmen are doing. We have options and will choose the best one,” he added.
India will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against the USA on Saturday.
