Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy cleared to feature in Afghanistan T20I series

Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy have been cleared by the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) to play in India's three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, which gets under way on September 13, 2026. The two all-rounders were set to travel to New Delhi on Thursday, September 10, to link up with the rest of the squad.

Both players completed their fitness tests and match simulations at the CoE facility in Bengaluru before receiving the green light, according to reports. The clearance is a timely boost for India ahead of a series that also doubles as the principal preparatory window before the Asian Games.

"Both Sundar and Reddy became fully fit sometime ago. The duo have cleared their fitness tests and match stimulations at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru," NDTV Sports quoted a source as saying on Thursday, September 10.

Shreyas Iyer has been named captain for the Afghanistan T20I series, with matches scheduled for September 13, 15 and 17. The series is the first-ever bilateral T20I contest between the two nations.

What injuries kept Sundar and Reddy out, and how long were they sidelined?

Sundar's absence from international cricket began after he sustained a hamstring injury while playing the second ODI against England at Cardiff in July 2026. The setback ruled him out of the subsequent Test series against Sri Lanka, keeping him away from the national side for an extended period.

Reddy's rehabilitation took even longer. He last turned out for India in the home ODI series against Afghanistan in June 2026, after which a left quadriceps problem flared up and worsened. The injury meant he was unavailable for India's tours to Ireland, England and Sri Lanka across that same stretch. Both players have now completed their rehabilitation programmes at the CoE and are available for selection.

What is the fitness picture for the rest of the squad ahead of the series?

The availability of Jasprit Bumrah and Harshit Rana remains uncertain as the series approaches. Bumrah sustained a knee injury during the second ODI against England and there has been no definitive update on whether he will be fit in time. Rana is working his way back from a hamstring problem he picked up on the England tour in July 2026. Should either fast bowler fail to clear their fitness assessment, Prince Yadav has been identified as a potential last-minute addition to the squad.

Separately, Ishan Kishan, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Tilak Varma are expected to join the group in New Delhi once the Duleep Trophy final in Chennai concludes, with their arrival dependent on when a result or draw is called at Chepauk. Looking further ahead, India are scheduled to play a solitary T20I against Japan at Sano International Cricket Ground on September 22 before commencing their Asian Games gold medal defence at Korogi Sports Park on September 28.