Shubman Gill Sounds the Alarm as India's Injury List Grows to 17 in 2026
Shubman Gill has raised serious concerns about India's fitness levels after a string of injuries disrupted the team throughout their 2-1 ODI series defeat to England.
India's captain has admitted that players struggling to last even a three-match series point to a deeper problem within the setup. "If you look at the first squad that we announced, at least five of the players did not play today," Gill said. "When one player gets injured, you have to play a different combination. If two are injured, you play a different combination."
The most damaging setback arrived just before the Lord's decider, when Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out due to swelling in his left knee following an impact injury sustained in Cardiff. His unavailability hurt India badly, with the inexperienced pace attack unable to contain England's batting as they piled up 387.
Virat Kohli's fitness troubles trace back to the IPL 2026 final in late May, where he suffered a hamstring injury that pushed him straight into rehabilitation. The issue kept him out of India's series against Afghanistan, and his eventual selection for the England tour hinged on clearing a late fitness assessment.
The list of injured players is growing, with at least 17 Indian stars sidelined since the turn of the year. The team's fitness coach has a tough task ahead to improve the squad's overall physical conditioning.
Harshit Rana's year has been particularly frustrating. He suffered a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee earlier in 2026 that ruled him out of the IPL and the Afghanistan series. After working his way back into the side, he then suffered a fresh Grade 1 right hamstring strain during the third T20I against England in July.
Washington Sundar's issue emerged suddenly during the first innings of the second ODI against England in Cardiff on July 16, when he pulled up with a hamstring strain while fielding. He struggled while batting, and the BCCI medical team had little choice but to withdraw him from the squad.
Varun Chakravarthy's injury proved to be the most serious on this list, sustaining a hamstring tear during the third T20I against England. An MRI scan later confirmed it as a Grade 2 strain, more severe than Rana's. He is currently bowling up to six overs in spot bowling sessions, with upcoming weeks set to introduce faster running and heavier strength training.
Hardik Pandya's fitness saga turned out to be one of the most damaging of the year. His troubles began during IPL 2026, when chronic back spasms forced him out of the latter half of Mumbai Indians' campaign, causing him to miss four crucial league games even before international duty came into the picture.
The medical team remains focused on building strength, agility and injury resistance for the injured players. However, a fixed timeline for their return to the team remains uncertain.
Source: Yahoo Sports