Team India Suffer Massive Blow As Star Spinner Ruled Out Of Afghanistan T20Is: Report

Varun Chakravarthy has been ruled out of the rest of the T20I series against Afghanistan after suffering a side strain injury, leaving India’s spin attack weakened.

The mystery spinner sustained an injury during the first T20I against Afghanistan on Sunday (September 13) in Delhi. However, the exact nature of the injury is yet to be known. The setback came after he delivered a tight spell of 1/16 in four overs at an economy rate of 4.00.

"It is a fresh injury. MRI has revealed that it is a side strain. He is out of the series and looks unlikely for Asian Games," said a BCCI source.

The fresh injury makes Chakaravarthy highly doubtful for the Asian Games beginning on September 19. India will also play a historic T20 against Japan on September 22 before beginning their Asian Games in Nisshin, Japan, on September 28.

Chakravarthy had just worked his way back into India’s white-ball plans and had begun to look like a certain pick again.

Rehab Questions

The latest setback has put the BCCI Centre of Excellence under scrutiny. Chakravarthy had spent nearly two months out of competitive action while rehabbing an earlier physical breakdown.

He was ruled out of Ireland T20I series due to a lingering foot injury, sustained during the business end of the IPL 2026.

After finishing the IPL for Kolkata Knight Riders, he underwent rehab at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and missed the T20I series in Ireland, which India lost 2-0.

His fresh breakdown almost as soon as he returned raises questions over whether he was cleared too early. It also sharpens concern that his bowling mechanics may be placing stress on his body that it cannot keep absorbing.

That leaves India with a bigger issue than one missed series. The focus is now on how he was assessed, how he was cleared and whether his workload can be managed differently.

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Form And Future

His timing is harsh. Chakravarthy had just come off a strong T20 World Cup campaign, finishing as one of the standout performers with 14 wickets.

He had also enjoyed a dominant IPL run as a middle-overs enforcer. His variations, sliders and carrom balls repeatedly broke up top-order batting units and helped him re-establish himself as an automatic choice in India’s white-ball blueprint.

Now his immediate future is uncertain. Team management and medical staff must find a way to rebuild his physical resilience without damaging the rhythm and confidence of a bowler who has become one of India’s leading T20 match-winners.