Harshit Rana in doubt for T20 World Cup due to injury

India allrounder Harshit Rana is under an injury cloud for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

He "doesn't look good," according to captain Suryakumar Yadav, after the allrounder picked up a niggle during the warm-up game against South Africa in Navi Mumbai on February 4 when he bowled just the one over before walking off the field. Rana was seen with a strapped thigh later and Suryakumar said the final outcome on his availability would be known by the end of the day.

"He is not ruled out yet," Suryakumar said on the eve of India's first game of the T20 World Cup, against USA in Mumbai on Saturday. "He's being assessed by the physios. But I think, today we'll know what's going to happen. But it doesn't look good, it's not that great."

While Rana is a player who can provide the batting depth that India prioritises in the format, his unavailability may not cause too much concern if all other players are fit, with Axar Patel expected to slot in at No. 8 and Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh as the two fast bowlers.

"Don't worry, we have 11 players for tomorrow," Suryakumar said with a laugh. "But it's a big blow obviously because you make a squad of 15 players with a lot of combinations in mind. So we made it with the same thought. And if he is not available for us going forward, then we will set other combinations, however can we do it. But we have enough players, enough combinations, which we can make against all the teams for this tournament. But if we miss him, we will definitely miss him"

Rana had played three of the five T20Is in the recent home series against New Zealand, which India won 4-1. India had not named any reserve players while announcing the squad of 15 as it's a home T20 World Cup. Suryakumar said that if Rana was ruled out, they would look for a replacement who preferably bats but that would not be a necessary factor. Apart from Bumrah and Arshdeep, India's other pace-bowling options in the squad are the allrounders Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube.

Rana, 24, had proved to be a handy option at No. 8 especially after his boundary-laden 52 off 43 at that position in the third ODI against New Zealand in a chase of 338.

"We will see which fast bowlers have done really well for the last one or two years," Suryakumar said. "And which bowler can bat as well. But there is no hard-and-fast rule that he has to bat. Because if you are expecting someone at No. 9 or 10 to come and hit a six, then what do you have the top eight for. But we will see whom to pick. We do have a few options but we will pick the best one."