Five matches into his comeback, Harshit Rana suffered another setback. The 24-year-old sustained a knee injury just days before the T20 World Cup 2026 and underwent surgery. Harshit was ruled out of the ICC event and the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. He returned after 5 months against Ireland in late June.
Harshit Rana’s hamstring injury
Harshit played 5 matches and picked up 7 wickets. However, he sustained a hamstring injury midway through the India vs England T20I series and was subsequently ruled out of the ODIs as well. It was believed to be an unlucky break. But it turns out, he might be responsible for injuring himself.
“Rana reported a sudden onset of discomfort in his right hamstring during the third T20I against England at Trent Bridge. Subsequent scans revealed a Grade 1 hamstring injury,” the BCCI said.
Question over his weight and fitness
It’s believed that Harshit was ‘overweight’ upon his arrival in Ireland. Ever since he underwent surgery on his right knee, the bowling all-rounder has been under the guidance of the Board of Control for India’s (BCCI) Centre of Excellence (CoE). He underwent his rehabilitation at the Bengaluru facility.
In June, he was granted a ‘Return to Play’ clearance from the CoE. Subsequently, Harshit was picked for the India vs Afghanistan ODI series but didn’t play due to a biceps femoris muscle tear. After a 2-week rest, he boarded the plane to Ireland. It’s perhaps during this period that Harshit gained weight.
“Harshit is a very important member of this team going into the 2027 World Cup. He is being looked at as a potential number eight batter along with his 140 click average speed. But he has to be mindful about his fitness routine,” a BCCI source told PTI. “Recently, when he joined the team, he was found to be overweight. For someone who bowls fast, if that player is found to be overweight, then obviously the load on the body can lead to a hamstring tear,” the source added.
Harshit’s fitness standards were questionable during the UK tour, and considering a fast bowler experiences braking forces of up to 6 to 8 times their body weight every time they take their run-up and bowl, the extra weight could’ve added extra tension to his hamstring, resulting in an injury.
If the 24-year-old wants to become a mainstay in the Indian team ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup, he must work on his fitness and improve his diet. The team and selectors might move on from Harshit if his body keeps breaking down because of his follies.
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