Top News

Harshit Rana's hamstring injury during his first international series after returning from knee surgery has raised fresh concerns about his fitness. Reports suggest the all-rounder returned to action carrying extra weight, which may have contributed to the latest setback.

The 24-year-old was reportedly found to be overweight when he rejoined the Indian squad for the T20I series against England. He featured in two matches against Ireland and three against England before suffering a hamstring injury that ruled him out of the subsequent three-match ODI series, where he was expected to play a key role.

The development is likely to concern both head coach Gautam Gambhir and the national selection committee. Questions are being raised over why the fast bowler returned with additional weight despite undergoing an extensive rehabilitation programme following knee surgery. Ideally, his conditioning and weight management should have been addressed during his recovery and the mandatory Return-to-Play protocols at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

"Harshit is a very important member of this team going into the 2027 World Cup. He is being looked at as a potential number eight batter along with his 140 click average speed. But he has to be mindful about his fitness routine," a BCCI source said as quoted by NDTV Sports.

"Recently, when he joined the team he was found to be overweight. For someone, who bowls fast, if that player is found to be overweight then obviously the load on the body can lead to hamstring tear," the source added.

Rana's latest injury suggests that although he received a fitness clearance after successfully completing his rehabilitation programme following knee surgery, his weight management may not have been optimal during the recovery period, a challenge that is not uncommon during prolonged injury lay-offs.

For a fast bowler, excess weight can significantly increase the risk of injury. Any additional kilograms amplify forces, placing greater strain on the hamstring muscles and increasing the likelihood of injury. Interestingly, another top-order T20 specialist was also found to be slightly overweight when the Indian team departed for its tour of the United Kingdom, although the excess weight in that case was considered only marginal.