Photo via Hindustan Times

Varun Chakaravarthy ruled out of Afghanistan series, Asian Games participation in limbo; BCCI provides crucial update

India spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has been sidelined for the final two T20I matches against Afghanistan following a side strain. The problem surfaced during his third over in the opening match at New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium, where he sensed irritation in the left side of his abdomen before medical imaging confirmed the diagnosis.

Despite finishing that match with tidy figures of 1 for 16 across four overs, he sat out Tuesday's encounter at the same venue, where Ravi Bishnoi stepped into the playing eleven though the team decided against adding a fresh face to the primary 15-man roster. The setback continues an ongoing run of fitness issues for Chakaravarthy since the 2026 Indian Premier League with Kolkata Knight Riders, having previously missed a tour of Zimbabwe due to a hamstring problem picked up while playing in the United Kingdom.

With India scheduled to face Japan on September 22 ahead of their Asian Games opener on September 28, the narrow recovery window makes Chakaravarthy's continental appearance doubtful. Before he can rejoin the group, he must travel to the Centre of Excellence to secure a clean bill of health.