Chakravarthy’s body made the decision selectors were reluctant to make themselves. His fresh side strain during the Afghanistan series leaves India needing a wrist-spinner who slots into the squad without disruption, and only one man fits that description. Krunal Pandya’s IPL form has driven plenty of noise around a recall, but he was never in India’s 30-man pool for this tournament in the first place. The bowler already inside the squad, sharing Chakravarthy’s leg-spin skill set, is the far simpler fix.
Chakravarthy’s Comeback Ends in Injury
Varun Chakravarthy returned to India’s T20I side on 13 September 2026 in Delhi, back after a hamstring injury from the England tour in July. The 35-year-old bowled a tidy four overs for 1/16 in the series opener against Afghanistan, but pulled up with a fresh side strain during the same match.
A BCCI source described it plainly: the scan had shown a fresh side strain, ruling him out of the series and leaving him unlikely for the Asian Games. India’s first fixture in Japan falls on 28 September, leaving barely two weeks to recover from a strain that typically needs far longer.
The Case for a Like-for-Like Option
Whoever replaces Chakravarthy needs to offer something close to his mystery-spin threat, not just a spot in the XI. Ravi Bishnoi is already inside India’s 15-man Asian Games squad, and as a right-arm wrist-spinner, he matches Chakravarthy’s skill set far more closely than any of the left-arm options in the wider pool.
Player | Bowling Style | 2026 Form | Squad Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Varun Chakravarthy | Right-arm legbreak | 1/16 vs Afghanistan; side strain after first T20I | In squad, doubtful |
Ravi Bishnoi | Right-arm legbreak | 11 wickets in 9 IPL matches; 3 wickets vs Zimbabwe | Confirmed in squad |
Krunal Pandya | Left-arm orthodox | 14 wickets, 226 runs for RCB in IPL 2026 | Not in probables |
Kuldeep Yadav | Left-arm wrist-spin | 10 wickets in 9 IPL matches | In 30-man probables |
Bishnoi took 11 wickets in nine matches for Rajasthan Royals this IPL season, including a 4/41 against Gujarat Titans, and became the youngest Indian to reach 200 T20 wickets along the way. Across 47 T20Is, he has taken 65 wickets at an average of 20.50, and he once sat at the top of the ICC’s T20I bowling rankings.
Ravi Bishnoi Asian Games 2026 Replacement
If Chakravarthy is formally ruled out, the leg-spinner steps straight into the primary wrist-spin role without any squad change being needed. Axar Patel covers the slow left-arm option and Washington Sundar offers off-spin, so the attack keeps its variety regardless of who takes the extra overs.
His flatter, faster style differs from Chakravarthy’s mystery-spin approach, but it still offers a genuine attacking threat on Asian pitches. Recent form across three Zimbabwe T20Is, where he took three wickets, backs the case. Naming the same group for both the Afghanistan series and the tournament in Japan was itself a hint that selectors already saw him as central to the plan.
Krunal Pandya’s Case Falls Short
Outside speculation about a recall for Krunal Pandya ignores a basic fact: he sits outside India’s 30-man pool for the tournament entirely, let alone the final squad. His last appearance in this format for India came in July 2021, more than five years ago.
His IPL numbers are real: fourteen wickets and 226 runs at a strike rate of 145.81 helped RCB to back-to-back titles. Yet he was passed over when the Afghanistan squad was announced on 1 September, with Axar Patel and Washington Sundar both retained ahead of him. He later posted online that hope was still alive, a sign he knows he remains outside the selectors’ plans.
Selectors’ Likely Call on Spin
With the tournament opening on 28 September and Chakravarthy’s strain ruling him out for the foreseeable future, there is no realistic path back to Krunal Pandya. The panel led by Ajit Agarkar has already excluded him twice this month, first from the wider provisional pool and then from the Afghanistan squad itself.
The alternative is already sitting in the squad, in form, and built the right way for the role. What remains genuinely open is whether Chakravarthy’s body allows him back in time, or whether the Ravi Bishnoi Asian Games 2026 replacement scenario simply plays out as India’s default plan for the gold medal defence in Japan.
Should India stick with Bishnoi even if Chakravarthy declares himself fit in time, or does form alone deserve the nod? Drop your team in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Varun Chakravarthy out of the Asian Games squad?
He is highly doubtful after suffering a fresh side strain. The injury came during the Afghanistan T20I on 13 September, leaving little time to recover before the tournament opener on 28 September.
Is Ravi Bishnoi in India’s squad for the tournament?
Yes, Bishnoi is already part of the confirmed 15-member squad. He plays in the same group selected for both the Afghanistan T20I series and the tournament in Japan.
Has Krunal Pandya returned to India’s T20I setup?
No, his last India T20I appearance was in July 2021. Despite strong IPL form for RCB this year, he was left out of both the Afghanistan squad and the wider provisional pool.
Who are India’s spin bowling options this tournament?
Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar lead the confirmed spin attack. Varun Chakravarthy remains in the squad but is considered a doubtful starter because of injury.
When does the cricket competition begin in Japan?
The men’s tournament starts on 24 September in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. India play their opening match on 28 September, just weeks after the Afghanistan T20I series wraps up.