Asian Games Cricket: Vipraj Nigam replaces injured Varun Chakravarthy in India squad

Young leg-spinner Vipraj Nigam has been added to India’s Asian Games squad after senior spinner Varun Chakravarthy was ruled out with a side strain, as learnt by TimesofIndia.com. The 2026 Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.Chakravarthy picked up the injury while playing the first T20I against Afghanistan. He had only recently returned to the Indian team after recovering from a hamstring injury. Scans later confirmed a side strain, ruling him out of the remaining T20Is and the Asian Games."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 news agency PTI on conditions of anonymity.The 22-year-old Nigam plays for Delhi Capitals in the IPL and has featured in 19 matches, taking 13 wickets. He is also useful with the bat and has scored at a strike rate of around 176 in his IPL career.Nigam’s selection gives India a young leg-spin option for the continental event, while Kuldeep Yadav has been kept for the West Indies ODI series. India’s Asian Games campaignThe men’s cricket competition at the Asian Games will begin on September 24, with India entering the tournament at the quarterfinal stage.Chakravarthy’s absence is a blow to India, particularly after his return to international cricket following his hamstring injury.He bowled four overs and took one wicket for 16 runs in the first Afghanistan T20I before reporting discomfort. He was then sent to the BCCI Centre of Excellence for further assessment.Nigam will now get an opportunity to make his mark on the Asian Games stage.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.