Harshit Rana added to India squad for final Afghanistan ODI

Daily Update, Sports

Harshit Rana has been added to India’s squad for the third ODI against Afghanistan in Chennai, the BCCI confirmed on Friday (June 19). Rana, who was at the BCCI center of excellence for injury rehabilitation, is now fit and available for selection. He has linked up with the ODI squad in Chennai.

Rana was ruled out of the T20 World Cup earlier this year after suffering a knee injury during a warm-up match against South Africa on February 4 and was subsequently replaced in the squad by Mohammed Siraj.

The 24-year-old also missed IPL 2026,

as the injury stopped him from featuring for Kolkata Knight Riders. After spending months on the sidelines, Rana was included in the squads for the T20I series against England and Ireland, as well as the Asian games, set to be held in Japan. However, his return could happen in advance if he is picked in the playing XI for the Chennai ODI.

The pace-bowling allrounder last featured for India in the T20I series against New Zealand that preceded the T20 World Cup, also featured in the one-dayers before that. In the final ODI against New Zealand, he took three wickets and scored 52 runs off 43 balls from No. 8. In 14 ODIs so far, he has taken 26 wickets at 27.38.

India leads the ODI series 2–0, having won the first two matches in Dharamsala and Lucknow. The third ODI will take place in Chennai on Saturday (June 20).

Updated India squad for third ODI vs Afghanistan

Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer (VC), KL Rahul (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harshit Rana

Fast bowler Harshit Rana has been added to India’s squad for the third ODI against Afghanistan in Chennai on June 20, making a comeback from injury that had sidelined him since February this year.

In a statement on Friday, the BCCI said Rana had “completed his rehabilitation at the BCCI Center of Excellence” and has “linked up with the ODI squad in Chennai.”

While the BCCI has not issued an official update on Hardik Pandya’s fitness, the allrounder was not part of the updated squad that included Rana. It was reported that Hardik had endured a leg strain while training at the BCCI’s Center of Excellence in Bengaluru in the lead up to the series.

Rana had injured his knee during India’s warm-up match against South Africa in the lead-up to the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup and was consequently ruled out of that tournament. He then underwent surgery and missed IPL 2026 as well for Kolkata Knight Riders.

India lead the three-ODI series against Afghanistan 2-0 after victories in Dharamsala and Lucknow.

Updated India squad for third ODI against Afghanistan

Shubman Gill (capt), Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer (vc), KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harshit Rana

Jaiswal’s ODI spot under scrutiny

Jaiswal was brought back to the 50-over format for the first time since December 2025, and he was dismissed for 4 in the second match against the Afghans at Lucknow. The left-hander had made an unbeaten 116 against South Africa at Visakhapatnam in his previous appearance but since the return of Ishan Kishan has added one more contender to the top-order positions.

Kishan did no harm to his prestige with a hundred at Lucknow, and skipper Shubman Gill dropped himself to No. 3 to accommodate Jaiswal.

But once Virat Kohli returns to the side after recovering from his hamstring injury, the batting superstar is certain to capture the No. 3 slots. This leaves Gill with no other option but to return to opening the innings alongside Rohit Sharma.

With Kishan and Shreyas Iyer occupying the number. 4 and 5 respectively, Jaiswal perforce needs to make use of the limited opportunities that come his way.

It’s a tight and uncomfortable space for any batsman, let alone for a hugely talented cricketer like Jaiswal, but the team combination rigmarole is an all-consuming maze at this point.

It’s also imperative for Jaiswal to score big because India’s ODI squad to tour England for three matches will be announced soon, and another slip-up might not be taken kindly by a ruthless and fast-moving selection panel headed by Ajit Agarkar.

If they can omit Suryakumar Yadav not very long after guiding the team to a T20 World Cup triumph no less, other players too might not be spared the axe. So, it will not be an exaggeration to think that Jaiswal needs to make his fortune all by himself, and stay in contention for an ODI berth especially in the case of a fitness worry to anyone in top three.

Rahul offers a different case altogether. The return of Iyer to the India set-up after a lengthy hiatus means that the 34-year-old will now have to bat extensively at No. 6, unless Kishan, the current No. 4. Moves up to opening for some reason, allowing the team management to automatically promote the duo higher up the order.

For long, No. 5 has been Rahul’s comfort zone, evident in his sparkling numbers — 1517 runs from 38 matches at an average of 63.2 overs with three hundreds and 10 fifties. It constitutes for nearly half of his career stats. But another contender has come for that place, and Rahul’s numbers at six — 332 runs from 15 matches at 41.5 with a solitary fifty — are good without being sparkling.

It’s primarily because of the limited number of overs he will get to play from the No. 6 slot, but he needs to adjust to making those quick fifties, or find solace in extrapolating the team total with the cameos.

Rana returns

India have added Harshit Rana into the squad ahead of Chennai ODI after completing rehabilitation at BCCI Center of Excellence, and the pacer could come in for Arshdeep Singh, who has played two matches in this series.

It will also give India the luxury of having a handy batter down the order in the absence of injured Nitish Kumar Reddy, besides the management and selectors can assess his preparedness in a game situation ahead of the UK tour.

Gurnoor Brar has also played two matches, but the bigwigs might want to take an extended look at the pacer in various conditions.