Delhi Capitals leg-spinner Vipraj Nigam has been named as a replacement for Varun Chakravarthy in India’s squad for the Asian Games 2026 cricket tournament. The change was confirmed on September 16, 2026, a day after Chakravarthy sustained a side strain during India’s first T20I against Afghanistan in Delhi on September 15.
Chakravarthy bowled four overs in that match, returning figures of 1/16, before experiencing discomfort in the third over of his spell. India went on to win the game by seven wickets. He was subsequently flown to Bengaluru to meet the Centre of Excellence medical team for scans and has been ruled out of the Asian Games as a result.
Kuldeep Yadav had also been part of the Asian Games roster as a replacement option, but his selection for India’s upcoming ODI series against West Indies opened the door for Nigam to step in. The cricket tournament is scheduled to begin on September 28, 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
How serious are Chakravarthy’s injury concerns heading into 2026?
This is not the first fitness setback Chakravarthy has faced this year. He suffered a Grade 2 hamstring injury during India’s tour of England in July 2026, which kept him out of competitive cricket for a significant period. He completed his rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru before returning to action through the Tamil Nadu Premier League.
Having worked his way back to full fitness, Chakravarthy was included in India’s T20I squad for the Afghanistan series. The side strain picked up in Delhi has now cut short his involvement once again, ruling him out before the Asian Games even begin. It is a second injury blow for the spinner within a matter of months, raising questions about his workload management ahead of a busy international calendar.
What does Nigam’s call-up mean for India’s spin options at the Asian Games?
Nigam’s inclusion adds another wrist-spin option to a squad that already features Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi. His call-up comes as a direct replacement for Chakravarthy, who is one of India’s most experienced T20 spinners, and represents a notable opportunity for the Delhi Capitals bowler at the international level.
India’s Asian Games squad is captained by Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma serving as vice-captain. The side carries a strong batting line-up alongside a varied bowling attack, and Nigam’s addition ensures the wrist-spin department remains well covered for the tournament in Aichi-Nagoya. With Kuldeep Yadav unavailable due to his ODI commitments, Nigam was the natural choice to fill the vacancy left by Chakravarthy’s injury.
India full squad for Asian Games 2026
Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (VC), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yash Thakur, Vipraj Nigam.
