5 matches, 14 overs: Harshit Rana out of ODI series India vs

Indian fast bowler Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the three-match ODI series against England, which is scheduled to begin on July 14. Rana, who returned to action after spending four months on the sidelines following a knee injury sustained ahead of the T20 World Cup, was ruled out again after injuring his hamstring during the T20I leg of the tour.

Rana played five matches after returning from his four-month layoff. He played just 14 overs in total before suffering another injury. India Today has learned that Rana has been asked to report to the Center of Excellence in Bengaluru.

Sources tell India Today that Harshit Rana has a grade 1 tear in his biceps femoris muscle. The latest setback comes at a time when the young pacer has been trying to rebuild his place in the Indian team after an already frustrating year. Rana is one of the players earmarked for the next two World Cups in South Africa and Australia, but his injuries continue to hold him back from reaching his potential.

BRUTAL WOUND INJURY CRISIS

The 24-year-old suffered a knee injury just before the FIFA T20 World Cup earlier this year, which saw him miss the marquee tournament. Rana was expected to be Jasprit Bumrah’s primary partner in India’s title defence, but an injury ruled him out before the tournament even started.

What was originally expected to be a short game on the sidelines ended up being a four-month rehab stint. The injury turned out to be more serious than initially thought, with Rana also missing the entire IPL 2026 season.

He finally returned to competitive cricket during India’s T20I series against Ireland, making a comeback after four months out. However, his return was short-lived.

Rana appeared in five T20Is across Ireland and England but could only bowl 14 overs before suffering a hamstring injury. The fast bowler was subsequently dropped from the fourth and fifth T20Is against England and has now also been withdrawn from the three-match ODI series.

The latest injury is yet another blow to the Indian side, which has struggled with fitness during the England tour. Spinner Varun Chakravarthy was also ruled out of the rest of the T20I series with a similar hamstring injury, leaving the team management with limited bowling options during the final stages of the tour.

For Rana, the focus now shifts back to recovery. The paceman will undergo an assessment at the Center of Excellence in Bengaluru, where the BCCI medical team will determine the extent of the hamstring injury and write his rehabilitation program before deciding on a timeline for his return.

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Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

11 Jul 2026 18:57 IST