India have reportedly made a late change to their 2026 Asian Games squad, with young leg-spinner Vipraj Nigam replacing Varun Chakaravarthy, who has been ruled out of the tournament due to a side strain. The Asian Games 2026 are scheduled to begin on September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, while the men’s cricket competition will get underway on September 24.
India have received a direct entry into the quarter-finals, but will play a historic one-off T20I against Japan on September 22 before their knockout campaign begins.
Chakaravarthy’s injury surfaced after India’s opening T20I against Afghanistan. The spinner experienced discomfort following the match and was subsequently sent to the BCCI Centre of Excellence for further assessment. His recovery is expected to keep him sidelined for an indefinite period.
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“Varun is out for an indefinite period of time. Vipraj Nigam and Kuldeep Yadav were the two available options from the long list. Kuldeep will play the West Indies ODIs later this month,” a BCCI source told PTI.
Vipraj Nigam Called Up for 2026 Asian Games! 🏏
• Leg-spin all-rounder replaces injured Varun Chakaravarthy in India squad.
• Chakaravarthy ruled out of Japan trip following side strain in 1st T20I vs AFG.
• Delhi Capitals star offers wrist-spin option + lower-order batting… pic.twitter.com/XTbCRRO2xE
— Cricket Hub (@Anurag9793) September 16, 2026
Nigam’s inclusion gives the 21-year-old an opportunity to make his international debut. The all-rounder represents Delhi Capitals in the IPL and has played 19 matches in the tournament, taking 13 wickets. He has also impressed with his batting ability. Nigam has maintained a strike rate of around 176 in his IPL career, making him a useful lower-order option capable of scoring quick runs.
For Chakaravarthy, the setback comes shortly after his return to India’s squad following a hamstring injury. He featured in the first T20I against Afghanistan but will now miss the remainder of the series as well as the Asian Games. India will begin their Asian Games campaign later this month, with Nigam now in line for a significant opportunity on the international stage.
