BCCI has officially announced that KKR star Harshit Rana has completed his rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) and will be joining the India squad for the final ODI of the three-match series against Afghanistan in Chennai. However, the announcement did not confirm whether he is the official replacement for the injured Hardik Pandya. Still, the decision allows Rana to get some crucial game time after missing the T20 World Cup and IPL 2026 due to knee surgery.
"The Men's Selection Committee has added Mr Harshit Rana to the India squad for the third and final ODI against Afghanistan. Mr Rana, who has completed his rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE), has linked up with the ODI squad in Chennai," BCCI stated in their official release.
Rana has already been selected in theIndian squadfor the T20I series against Ireland andEnglandbeginning later this month. The team management is eager to groom him as a seam-bowling all-rounder alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy as back-ups for veteran all-rounder Hardik Pandya. The inclusion in the 3rd ODI will also provide him with crucial game time ahead of the upcoming overseas tours.
With an unbeatable 2-0 lead, India has already won the ODI series against Afghanistan. The hosts have outperformed Afghanistan with both bat and ball, and several young players have left a good impression. The Indian team management may decide to rest some senior players and give members of the extended squad a chance in the last ODI due to the upcoming hectic international schedule, which includes the T20I series in Ireland and England as well as the Asian Games.
Updated squad for the third ODI against Afghanistan:Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harshit Rana
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