India’s T20 World Cup campaign may be hit by an early setback, with young fast bowler Harshit Rana reportedly likely to be ruled out of the tournament just hours before the opening match.
The 24-year-old pacer’s fitness became a major concern following India’s warm-up fixture, and skipper Suryakumar Yadav admitted on Friday that Rana “wasn’t looking good” after the game.
“He hasn’t been ruled out yet, but after the warm-up match, he wasn’t looking good,” Suryakumar said.
“The physios are assessing him, but it’s not that great.”
With the World Cup beginning in less than 24 hours, India are now racing against time to get clarity on Rana’s availability ahead of their opener against the USA.
India Facing Early Blow Before Tournament Start
Rana’s possible absence would be a significant disruption for India, who selected their 15-man squad with multiple bowling combinations in mind.
Suryakumar acknowledged that losing Rana at this stage would force the team to reshuffle their plans.
“It’s obviously a big blow,” he said.
“When you make a squad of 15, you build combinations. If he’s not available going forward, we’ll have to set other combinations.”
Despite the setback, the captain maintained that India have enough depth to adjust, but admitted Rana’s absence would still be felt.
“If we miss him, we’ll definitely miss him.”
Mohammed Siraj Could Be Called In
Should Rana officially be ruled out, the selectors are expected to move quickly, with Mohammed Siraj emerging as the leading candidate for a replacement.
Siraj is believed to currently be in Germany, and could be flown in as injury cover if needed.
However, Suryakumar refused to confirm any specific name, stressing that India will choose the best available option based on recent performances.
“We’ll see which fast bowlers have done really well over the last one or two years,” he said.
“We do have a few options, and we’ll pick the best one.”
Injury Concern Adds Pressure Ahead of USA Opener
India begin their World Cup journey against the USA, and any last-minute change in the pace department could have a direct impact on team balance and strategy.
With the tournament about to get underway, the team management will be hoping Rana’s injury is not as serious as it appears — but the early signs are worrying.
A final call is expected soon.
