Vipraj Nigam replaces injured Chakaravarthy in India's Asian Games squad
Synopsis
Varun Chakaravarthy's side strain has opened the door for young leg-spinner Vipraj Nigam, who has been drafted into India's Asian Games and Japan T20I squad at short notice. The BCCI also unveiled a star-studded West Indies home series squad — with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back for the ODIs — and named Rishabh Pant to lead Rest of India in the Irani Cup.
Key Takeaways
Vipraj Nigam has been called up to replace Varun Chakaravarthy , who was ruled out of the Japan T20I and Asian Games with a side strain .
Nitish Kumar Reddy has been withdrawn from the Asian Games squad and added to India's ODI squad vs West Indies .
Shubman Gill will captain the ODI side against West Indies, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli also named; the series starts 27 September in Thiruvananthapuram .
Shreyas Iyer leads the T20I team , featuring young talent including Vaibhav Sooryavanshi , Abhishek Sharma , and Mayank Yadav .
Rishabh Pant will captain Rest of India in the Irani Cup against Ranji Trophy champions Jammu & Kashmir , with Sarfaraz Khan as deputy.
Akash Deep is included in the Irani Cup squad subject to fitness clearance .
Young leg-spinner Vipraj Nigam has been drafted into India's squad for the Japan T20I and the Asian Games, replacing Varun Chakaravarthy, who has been ruled out of both assignments with a side strain, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Wednesday, 16 September 2026. The Men's Selection Committee confirmed the changes alongside a raft of other squad announcements covering the upcoming home white-ball series against the West Indies and the Irani Cup.
Chakaravarthy's Injury and Nigam's Call-Up
Varun Chakaravarthy, who had been named in India's squad for the Japan T20I and the Asian Games, has been sidelined after suffering a side strain. The mystery spinner's absence is a blow given his importance to India's T20 plans. Vipraj Nigam, the young leg-spinner, has been identified as his direct replacement in the 14-member updated squad led by Shreyas Iyer.
Separately, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was originally part of the Asian Games squad, has been withdrawn from the continental event. He will instead join India's ODI squad against the West Indies, providing additional depth to the home series.
West Indies Home Series: ODIs and T20Is
The home series against the West Indies comprises three ODIs and five T20Is, beginning on 27 September. Shubman Gill will captain the ODI side, with senior stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli also named in the squad. KL Rahul has been named vice-captain, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna are among the other notable inclusions.
The ODI leg will be played in Thiruvananthapuram (27 September), Guwahati, and New Chandigarh. The T20I series — captained by Shreyas Iyer with Tilak Varma as his deputy — features a blend of established names and exciting young talent, including Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Mayank Yadav, and Prince Yadav. The five T20Is will be held in Lucknow, Ranchi, Indore, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru.
Irani Cup: Pant to Lead Rest of India
Rishabh Pant has been named captain of the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup clash against Ranji Trophy champions Jammu & Kashmir, with Sarfaraz Khan as his deputy. Akash Deep is also named in the squad, subject to passing a fitness clearance. Other notable inclusions are Mukesh Kumar, Anukul Roy, Manav Suthar, and Saransh Jain, reflecting the depth of India's domestic talent pool.
Full Updated Squads
India ODI squad vs West Indies: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (VC), Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Naman Dhir.
India T20I squad vs West Indies: Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Tilak Varma (VC), Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav.
Updated India squad for Japan T20I and Asian Games: Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (VC), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yash Thakur, Vipraj Nigam.
Rest of India squad for Irani Cup: Rishabh Pant (C, WK), Sanat Sangwan, Shikhar Mohan, Sudip Gharami, Sarfaraz Khan (VC), Smaran Ravichandran, Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, Akash Deep*, Mukesh Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary, Aryan Juyal (WK), Aryan Pandey, Anukul Roy, Ayush Doseja. (*Subject to fitness clearance.)
With the Asian Games and a packed home white-ball schedule converging, India's selection management will be closely watched over the coming weeks.
Point of View
But the real question is whether the selectors have factored in adequate cover-spinning depth given the Asian Games format. Separately, the ODI squad's composition — with Rohit, Kohli, and Gill all in — signals that the West Indies series is being used as a serious workload-management exercise ahead of a busy bilateral calendar, not just an audition for fringe talent.
NationPress
16 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Varun Chakaravarthy ruled out of the Asian Games and Japan T20I?
Varun Chakaravarthy was ruled out due to a side strain that prevented him from being available for both the Japan T20I and the Asian Games. The BCCI confirmed the injury on 16 September 2026.
Who is Vipraj Nigam?
Vipraj Nigam is a young Indian leg-spinner who has been named as Varun Chakaravarthy's replacement in India's squad for the Japan T20I and the Asian Games. His inclusion reflects the selectors' confidence in his ability to step up at the international level.
Who will captain India in the ODI and T20I series against West Indies?
Shubman Gill has been named captain for the three-match ODI series, while Shreyas Iyer will lead the five-match T20I series. The ODIs begin on 27 September in Thiruvananthapuram.
Who is captaining the Rest of India team in the Irani Cup?
Rishabh Pant will captain the Rest of India side in the Irani Cup clash against Ranji Trophy champions Jammu & Kashmir. Sarfaraz Khan has been named his deputy.
Why was Nitish Kumar Reddy removed from the Asian Games squad?
Nitish Kumar Reddy was withdrawn from the Asian Games squad to be included in India's ODI squad for the home series against West Indies. The selection committee made the decision as part of broader squad rotations across multiple simultaneous assignments.
