Varun Chakravarthy will miss the rest of the three-match series after suffering a side strain during India’s Twenty20 International series against Afghanistan in Delhi. After rehabilitating for two months from a Grade 2 hamstring injury incurred during the third Twenty20 International against England in early July, the spinner has just recently made a comeback to international cricket. Following rehabilitation at the Center of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he had been following systematic recovery protocols, he made a comeback.
India won by seven wickets as Varun Chakravarthy played his whole allotted overs in his comeback match, taking 1 for 16. However, seasoned off-spinner R Ashwin has expressed grave concerns regarding the player’s fitness management and the rehabilitation procedure in light of the recent injury. I believe it’s time to form distinct teams for T20Is, ODIs, and Tests. One or two participants may engage in cross-pollination. In my opinion, players must eventually be held accountable for managing their injuries.
On his YouTube channel, Ashwin stated, “I am aware that Varun Chakravarthy has been at the NCA (CoE) for the last three to four months. “We requested authorization for TNPL, but they refused to let him go. He spent two to three months there when he should have been back in a month. After one battle, he had a side strain due to the several treatments. That’s a little worrisome,” he continued.
“I am aware that Varun Chakravarthy has been at the NCA (CoE) for the last three to four months” – R Ashwin
As part of his preparation for playing cricket internationally, Chakravarthy participated in one Tamil Nadu Premier League match with the Dindigul Dragons in August. He went 0 for 34 in that game. The spinner has seen numerous setbacks in 2026 because to injuries.
He missed the trip of Ireland because he had two finger fractures while playing in the Indian Premier League and a fractured toe throughout the competition. As a player, you must also make sure that your training regimen is appropriate.
Do I perform the correct exercises? Olympic lifting was the only side strain I had in 2015. I quit snatching after that. Olympic lifting can definitely make you faster and boost your power production, but if you have an ailment that prevents you from performing it, the athlete should also be mindful of what he is doing, Ashwin said.
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For India’s forthcoming obligations, Varun Chakravarthy’s absence from the Afghanistan series led to alterations in the lineup. The squad for the Asian Games 2026, which got underway in Japan on September 24, includes Vipraj Nigam. For the home series against the West Indies, Kuldeep Yadav also made a comeback to the T20I squad.
Varun Chakravarthy’s recurrent injuries prompted more general concerns regarding the efficacy of present rehabilitation procedures and the harmony between player autonomy and structured recuperation in terms of controlling personal fitness.
