New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS) Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan and the Asian Games, with Yash Thakur named as his replacement for the two assignments, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Thursday.

"The Men’s Selection Committee has named Yash Thakur as a replacement for Harshit Rana in India’s squads for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan and the 2026 Asian Games," BCCI said.

The Indian Board revealed that Harshit, who was named in the Afghanistan T20I squad subject to fitness, sustained a "rectus femoris strain" while bowling on September 7. "The fast bowler was progressing well during his rehab at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE). He sustained a rectus femoris strain while bowling during a match simulation on September 7 and has subsequently been ruled out," the BCCI added.

Meanwhile, Yash made his T20I debut in the three-match series against Zimbabwe in July. He played in two matches, taking two wickets in each game. However, he was among the bowlers dropped for the Afghanistan series, as India named a full-strength side for the three contests to be played in New Delhi on September 13, 15 and 17.

India also has a full-strength squad for the Asian Games, which begin in Aichi-Nagoya on September 19, although India will play their quarter-final on September 28.

As per the squad announced for the Afghanistan T20Is, Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar's participation was also subject to fitness.

Harshit has been hampered by injuries this year. He sustained a knee injury ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 and missed the global showpiece, which India won. He underwent knee surgery, missed the IPL 2026, and made a comeback in June. However, he picked up a hamstring injury during the England tour in July and was on the mend before a "rectus femoris strain" ruled him out of the Afghanistan series and the Asiad.

India’s updated squad for Afghanistan T20Is: Shreyas Iyer [C], Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson [WK], Ishan Kishan [WK], Tilak Varma [VC], Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Yash Thakur

India squad for the 2026 Asian Games: Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (VC), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yash Thakur

--IANS

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