Two bowlers going down in the same match is unlucky. It becomes something bigger when a batting lineup already struggling to chase has no reserve capable of covering the gap. Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy both tore hamstrings in the same match at Trent Bridge, and within 48 hours India had lost their fourth straight completed T20I by nine wickets. This is the story of how one fixture turned a rough series into a genuine depth crisis heading into 2028 planning.
Sixteen Series Unbeaten, Then Ten Days
India arrived in the UK carrying a streak of 16 straight T20I series and tournaments without a loss. Ten days later, that streak was gone. A 0-2 defeat to Ireland, India’s first-ever T20I series loss to the Irish, was followed by a 0-3 deficit in an ongoing five-match series against England.
The unraveling had a clear turning point. At the center of it sits an injury blow that removed India’s two sharpest bowling weapons at precisely the moment the team could least afford it, turning a difficult tour into something closer to a structural emergency.
India T20I 2026 Bowling Injuries Collapse
Both bowlers went down in the same match, India’s 125-run hammering in the third T20I at Trent Bridge on July 7, and the BCCI ruled them out of the remaining two games. Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar came in for the fourth match in Bristol.
For Rana, it was his second major setback in a year; knee surgery had already cost him the entire IPL season and a place in the World Cup squad. Chakaravarthy’s tour was even more fragile. He had missed the Ireland series rehabbing a fractured toe, played just two games in England, and then the hamstring ended his trip.
One Over That Changed the Series
The impact showed up immediately. Washington Sundar conceded 19 runs in his opening over in Bristol as Harry Brook struck four straight boundaries, and without the pace threat or mystery spin India had relied on, England chased down 158 in just 13.5 overs to win by nine wickets.
Three days earlier at Trent Bridge, with both bowlers still fit and playing, Josh Tongue and Jofra Archer had shared seven wickets between them, reducing India to 76 all out chasing 202, their second-lowest total and quickest dismissal in the format’s history.
Match | Bowlers Missing | Bowling Economy | Batting Collapse Point |
Ireland 1st T20I (Jun 26) | Varun Chakaravarthy | Ire 182/9 (9.1 RPO) | 148 all out chasing 183; lost by 34 runs |
Ireland 2nd T20I (Jun 28) | Varun Chakaravarthy | Ire 154/8 (7.7 RPO) | 153/9 chasing 154; lost by 1 run |
England 3rd T20I (Jul 7) | None (both played; both injured in match) | Eng 201/7 (10.1 RPO) | 76 all out chasing 202; lost by 125 runs |
England 4th T20I (Jul 9) | Rana + Varun (both ruled out) | Eng 159/1 in 13.5 ov | 158/7; lost by 9 wkts; Iyer 80* only contributor |
A Batting Order Already Under Strain
The batting problems predate the injuries. Three sixes inside the first nine balls at Trent Bridge created a false sense of control before England’s short-ball assault tore through the middle order. In Belfast against Ireland, India had already slid from 68 for 1 at the powerplay to 148 all out chasing 183, and lost the second match by a single run after Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Iyer combined for just 10 runs.
By the time Rana and Chakaravarthy were ruled out, there was no batting depth left in reserve to absorb an extra bowling shortfall on top of everything else.
The Road Back Before the Next Series
Rana is expected to miss the three-match ODI series against England starting July 14, adding to an injury list that already includes Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy. India currently have no fit frontline pace allrounder, and Chakaravarthy’s mystery-spin role has proven uniquely difficult to replace on this tour.
Shreyas Iyer has called it a transition phase, and with the 2028 World Cup still two years off, there is time to rebuild. But the scale of the India T20I 2026 bowling injuries collapse means fitness management and genuine bowling depth now need to be sorted well before that planning window closes.
Does this injury crisis excuse the results, or expose a bowling depth problem India can’t ignore? Share your view in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were Rana and Chakaravarthy ruled out of the series?
Both suffered hamstring injuries in the same match. It happened during India’s third T20I against England at Trent Bridge on July 7, and BCCI medical staff ruled them out of the remaining two games.
How did India collapse to 76 all out against England?
Josh Tongue and Jofra Archer shared seven wickets between them. India hit three early sixes before folding under a short-ball assault, recording their second-lowest T20I total and quickest-ever dismissal in the format.
Who replaced Rana and Chakaravarthy in the XI?
Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar took their places. Sundar conceded 19 runs in his first over in Bristol as England chased down India’s total in just 13.5 overs.
Has India lost a T20I series to Ireland before?
No, this was their first-ever series loss to Ireland. The 0-2 result came before the bigger collapse against England, extending a rough stretch that ended a 16-series unbeaten run.
Will Rana be fit for India’s ODI series against England?
He is expected to miss it entirely. The ODIs start July 14, and his continued absence adds to a growing injury list that already includes Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy.