India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj is a likely replacement for injured all-rounder Harshit Rana in India for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. This announcement is yet to be made official by the Indian selectors, which is to be made this Friday evening.
Harshit Rana Suffers Injury Ahead of T20 World Cup 2026
Harshit Rana suffered a knee injury in India’s only warm-up fixture against South Africa earlier this week. Delhi all-rounder Harshit Rana pulled his knee while bowling, forcing him to retire from the field after bowling just one over.
Rana’s injury is a disappointment to the Indian cricket team as he was expected to play an important part in the bowling lineup, especially when Jasprit Bumrah was rested for the practice game.
Mohammed Siraj Emerges as Front Runner Replacement As reported in one of the reports cited in The Indian Express, Siraj was found to be the front runner to replace Rana in the 15-member squad.
Although Siraj has not appeared in the game since July 2024 in the T20I, his skills, combined with fast bowling, may prove to be very beneficial during the tournament.
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That would include the Hyderabadi pacer in order to strengthen and solidify the Indian fast bowling lineup going into the international tournament.
Suryakumar Yadav on Rana’s Injury and Team Combination
India’s skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, touched upon the matter of Rana’s injury in the preseason press conference, and he said, “Though we will miss his services, there are enough options available.”
“It’s a big blow because of the combination we make keeping in mind 15 players. If he misses out, we will definitely miss him. We have enough options. We shall look at the replacements of fast bowlers that are there and pick the best one,” Suryakumar said.
He further emphasized that India’s strength of top-order batsmen provides the facility, even if the bowling all-rounder is not available.
Harshit Rana’s T20I Record So Far
Furthermore, Harshit Rana, who represents India at the international level in nine T20 matches, taking nine wickets as well, was a crucial pick due to his capability to perform in both batting and bowling. However, the injury cloud remains, and the selectors are expected to take prompt decisions to maintain the balance of the squad.
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