Chakravarthy’s Comeback Cut Short by Fresh Injury Blow

Varun Chakravarthy’s return to international cricket has lasted a single match. The legspinner has been ruled out of the ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan with a side strain and now faces an uncertain wait over his participation in the Asian Games in Japan.

The 35-year-old complained of the strain following Sunday night’s game at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The team management has opted to release him immediately rather than risk further damage. He will travel to Bengaluru within the next 24 to 48 hours to meet the Centre of Excellence medical team, where scans will determine the severity of the injury and inform a decision on his availability for Japan.

The timeline is tight. India depart for Japan on September 18 from New Delhi, and their first Asian Games fixture is scheduled for September 28. With less than a week remaining before departure, the window for Chakravarthy to prove his fitness appears narrow.

A Brief Glimpse of Form

The injury arrives at a cruel moment. Chakravarthy had only just completed a two-month recovery and rehabilitation programme at the CoE following a hamstring injury sustained during the T20I series in England in July. That setback forced him to miss the subsequent tour of Zimbabwe, and his selection for the Afghanistan series and the Asian Games came only after he was deemed fully fit.

His performance on Sunday offered encouraging signs. He bowled his full quota of four overs and finished with figures of 1 for 16, appearing close to his best. The only blemish was a pair of no-balls. He looked comfortable after the match, and his comments during the post-match media interaction carried no hint of the trouble to come.

“Look, injuries are very common for all sportspeople and it just shows that we are working, we are giving our best. 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,” he said.

A Pattern of Setbacks

The side strain is the latest in a sequence of interruptions that have disrupted Chakravarthy’s recent international calendar. The hamstring issue in England halted his momentum midway through that series, and the extended rehabilitation period at the CoE represented a significant investment in his return.

That return has now yielded one appearance and another trip to the medical room. The scans in Bengaluru will determine whether this is a minor setback or another prolonged absence. For India, the concern extends beyond the Afghanistan series. The Asian Games squad was built with Chakravarthy’s wicket-taking ability in mind, and his potential absence would leave a gap in the spin department that the team management may need to address before departure.

For now, the wait is on the scan results, and the clock is running.

                                               

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