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India Stars Set For Match Simulations Ahead Of Afghanistan T20Is
India has four cricket players returning from injuries.
They are Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy.
Before they play Afghanistan, they will take part in practice matches.
These matches are planned from September 4 to September 9.
The practice games will help doctors and selectors check whether the players can handle competitive cricket.
Bumrah must pass a fitness clearance before playing the Afghanistan series.
The series is scheduled to start in New Delhi on September 13.
Bumrah may also play a longer red-ball match before returning to Test cricket against New Zealand.
Jasprit Bumrah is expected to play India’s Afghanistan T20Is, subject to fitness clearance.
Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy are scheduled for practice matches from September 4 to 9.
The three Afghanistan T20Is are scheduled to begin in New Delhi on September 13.
The BCCI Centre of Excellence considers all four players clinically fit but wants match-based assessment before clearing them.
Bumrah is also expected to play a red-ball match before a potential Test comeback against New Zealand later this year.
- Who
- Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy, along with India’s medical and selection teams.
- What
- The four players will undergo practice matches and match simulations as part of their injury and fitness assessments.
- Where
- The T20Is will be played in New Delhi, while the practice matches are being arranged by the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
- When
- The practice matches are scheduled for September 4-9; the Afghanistan T20Is are scheduled to begin on September 13.
- Why
- The assessments are intended to confirm that the players can withstand match workloads before returning to India duty.
Key facts
- Players involved
- Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy
- Practice-match dates
- September 4-9, 2026
- Afghanistan series
- Three T20Is beginning September 13, 2026
- Fitness status
- The BCCI medical team reportedly considers all four players clinically fit, pending practice-match assessment.
- Bumrah’s Test preparation
- He is expected to play a red-ball match before a potential Test comeback against New Zealand later in 2026.
- Backup option
- Prince Yadav has been lined up as Bumrah’s backup.
- BCCI injury concerns
- BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia linked the recent injury issues to the crowded cricket calendar and said the Future Tours Programme would be reviewed.
Quotes
A BCCI source
A source cited by the Times of India regarding the players’ medical assessments
“The BCCI medical team at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) had shared a report with selectors last week, where it was mentioned that these four players were clinically fit but had to be assessed in practice matches.”
news18.com
“The CoE has lined up the matches from September 4-9. The CoE is confident that the players should be ready for the Afghanistan series.”
news18.com
Sources
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