India are set to make a key change to their squad ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup as fast bowler Mohammed Siraj is expected to replace injured pacer Harshit Rana. Sources indicate that Siraj will travel to Mumbai to join the Indian T20I squad before their tournament opener against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium on February 7.

Harshit Rana sustained a knee injury during India’s warm-up match against South Africa in Navi Mumbai. The Delhi pacer was visibly uncomfortable, aborting his run-up twice before leaving the field after bowling just one over, which went for 16 runs. Subsequent medical consultations, including an assessment, have reportedly raised concerns that the injury could result in a lengthy layoff. Given the severity of the issue, the team management is unwilling to take risks with Rana’s fitness.

At the pre-match press conference, captain Suryakumar Yadav stopped short of officially ruling Rana out but admitted that the situation does not look promising. He said the team is evaluating fast-bowling options based on recent performances rather than rigid batting requirements for lower-order players, stressing the importance of picking the best possible replacement.

Meanwhile, Tilak Varma, who was previously ruled out, has made a return through two warm-up games, offering a boost to the batting line-up.

As defending champions, India begin their T20 World Cup campaign under close scrutiny, with squad balance and player fitness emerging as crucial factors in their title defence. (With inputs from Agencies)