Varun Chakravarthy Ruled Out of Asian Games 2026, Vipraj Nigam Replaces Him
Varun Chakravarthy Asian Games 2026 Campaign Ends After Injury
India鈥檚 plans for the Asian Games 2026 have suffered another setback after spinner Varun Chakravarthy was ruled out of both the one-off T20I against Japan and the continental event because of a side strain. The BCCI confirmed the development on September 16, naming young leg-spin all-rounder Vipraj Nigam as his replacement.
Chakravarthy had only recently returned to international cricket after spending around two months recovering from a hamstring injury. He was cleared to play in the first T20I against Afghanistan in Delhi and bowled his full four-over spell, taking 1 for 16 as India won by seven wickets. However, he experienced discomfort after his spell and was subsequently ruled out of the remainder of the Afghanistan series.
Varun Chakravarthy Asian Games 2026 Setback Comes After Comeback
The latest injury is particularly unfortunate because Chakravarthy had worked his way back into India鈥檚 plans after his previous hamstring problem. He had undergone rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence before clearing his fitness assessment ahead of the Afghanistan series.
The side strain has now kept him out indefinitely, according to a source cited by PTI. His absence means India will enter the Asian Games without one of their experienced T20 spinners, while the selectors have turned to a much younger option.
Varun Chakravarthy Asian Games 2026 Replacement Is Vipraj Nigam
Vipraj Nigam has been drafted into the squad in place of Chakravarthy. The Uttar Pradesh all-rounder is a right-arm leg-spinner and also provides batting depth, giving India another option in the middle order.
Nigam has already gained experience through domestic cricket, India A and the Delhi Capitals in the IPL. He has taken 13 wickets in 19 IPL matches, while his performances in domestic competitions have also established him as an emerging T20 prospect.
The selectors had also considered Kuldeep Yadav as an option, but Kuldeep is part of India鈥檚 upcoming ODI series against the West Indies. That opened the way for Nigam to receive his international opportunity.
Varun Chakravarthy Asian Games 2026 Exit Changes India鈥檚 Squad
The BCCI has made another change to the Asian Games squad, with Nitish Kumar Reddy withdrawn from the continental competition and moved into the ODI squad for the West Indies series.
India鈥檚 updated Asian Games squad will be led by Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma as vice-captain. The group also includes Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yash Thakur and Nigam.
Varun Chakravarthy Asian Games 2026 Absence Opens Door for Nigam
The men鈥檚 cricket competition at the Asian Games begins later this month, with India entering the tournament at the quarter-final stage. India won the men鈥檚 gold medal when cricket returned to the Asian Games at Hangzhou in 2023.
For Nigam, the call-up represents his chance to step into the national setup at a major multi-sport event. For India, his ability to contribute with both leg-spin and the bat could become important as the team adjusts to the loss of an experienced bowler.
