IND vs AFG: India strengthen bowling ahead of 3rd ODI, fast bowler added to squad

Fast bowler Harshit Rana has been added to India’s squad for the third ODI against Afghanistan. Rana last featured in the warm-up fixture for the T20 World Cup 2026 against South Africa in February, before being ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury.

He subsequently underwent knee surgery and even missed the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), being replaced by Navdeep Saini. Rana was undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) and was expected to make his comeback in the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, having been named in the squad.

However, he has successfully completed his rehabilitation and has linked up with the ODI squad in Chennai. India have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, with the third match scheduled to be played on June 20 at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

"The Men's Selection Committee has added Mr Harshit Rana to the India squad for the third and final IDFC First Bank ODI against Afghanistan. Mr Rana, who has completed his rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE), has linked up with the ODI squad in Chennai," informed BCCI in a media release.

Harshit Rana's ODI career so far

Rana last played ODIs during the three-match series against New Zealand, where he finished as the joint second-highest wicket-taker with six scalps from three innings. In the series decider final ODI, he picked up three wickets and also scored his maiden half-century in the format, playing an innings of 52 (43). Rana has scalped 26 wickets in 14 ODIs so far at an average of 27.38 and an economy of 6.21.

India's updated squad for the third ODI against Afghanistan: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harshit Rana