Fast bowler Harshit Rana has been added to India‘s squad for the third ODI against Afghanistan in Chennai on June 20, making a comeback from injury that has sidelined him since February this year.

In a statement on Friday, the BCCI said Rana had “completed his rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence” and has “linked up with the ODI squad in Chennai”.

“I have seen him for five minutes on the bus and I’m going to spin a story like I know exactly what is going on (laughs). But he has put a body of work in at NCA, he has got the clearance to NCA, he has obviously joined us here today,” India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said at the press conference before the match. “He seems fully fit, I’m sure he is going to have a run today [at training]. I cannot see any shape of him playing tomorrow, but obviously he comes to Ireland next week as well.

“So just to get him around the team again, he seemed very chirpy and happy. There were no signs of him carrying any baggage around that injury, which he did. To miss a World Cup, to miss a competition like that for a young guy is tough, but you suspect he’s someone who will get at least a couple more chances to play in tournaments like that.

“So the staff’s job now is just to build enough to make sure the confidence is up there, but most importantly to make sure that his body is ready for the T20 series in the next six weeks as well. So the priority is to make sure that he is absolutely fit.”

While the BCCI has not issued an official update on Hardik Pandya‘s fitness, the allrounder was not part of the updated squad that included Rana. It was reported that Hardik had suffered a leg strain while training at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru in the lead up to the series.

Rana had injured his knee during India’s warm-up match against South Africa in the lead-up to the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup and was subsequently ruled out of thhat tournament. He then underwent surgery and missed IPL 2026 as well for Kolkata Knight Riders.

India lead the three-ODI series against Afghanistan 2-0 after victories in Dharamsala and Lucknow.

Updated India squad for third ODI against Afghanistan

Shubman Gill (capt), Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer (vc), KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harshit Rana