Indian spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has been withdrawn from the ongoing Twenty20 International series against Afghanistan following a side strain. The 35-year-old, who recently returned to the national setup after two months of rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, complained of discomfort after Sunday night’s match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
Team management opted to release Chakaravarthy immediately to ensure he receives proper medical attention. He is scheduled to travel to Bengaluru within the next 24 to 48 hours to undergo scans and consult with the CoE medical team. These assessments will determine whether he can recover in time for the Asian Games in Japan. However, with the Indian squad set to depart for Japan on September 18 from New Delhi, the timeline for his recovery appears tight. India’s campaign is scheduled to begin on September 28, following a bilateral match against the hosts on September 22.
During his appearance on Sunday, Chakaravarthy bowled a full four-over quota and finished with figures of 1 for 16, showing flashes of his peak form despite bowling two no-balls. This injury marks another setback for the spinner, who was forced to exit the England T20I series in July midway through due to a hamstring issue, subsequently missing the tour of Zimbabwe.
Reflecting on the physical demands of international cricket during a post-match media interaction, Chakaravarthy noted that injuries are an inherent risk for athletes pushing their limits. “Injuries are very common for all sportspeople and it just shows that we are working, we are giving our best,” he remarked. “Sometimes we push beyond our limits and that is when the body gives in. So, that is when we have to take a step back and work better and come back stronger.” His path to the current selection for the Afghanistan series and the Asian Games had been contingent on him being deemed fully fit after his extensive recovery at the CoE. According to information available with this website, Chakaravarthy (35) complained of a side strain after Sunday night’s game, and the team management has decided to release him without any further delay. The report also notes that understands that the CoE managers will take him for scans before any decision is made.
