India's T20I Preparations: Hardik, Reddy, and Bumrah Updates
India’s T20I build-up ahead of Afghanistan’s visit later this month is starting to look a lot more muscular.
Hardik Pandya is back in the frame. So is Nitish Kumar Reddy. Washington Sundar is almost there. And somewhere in the background, all plans, all caution, orbit around one name: Jasprit Bumrah.
Hardik, Reddy ready; Washington closing in
At the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, the tempo has gone up several notches. Hardik and Reddy have been pushing through intense sessions, operating at full tilt as they angle for a return to international cricket in the three-match T20I series starting September 13 in Delhi.
They have barely left the place. Reddy has been slipping home only on weekends, while Hardik has shifted base to Bengaluru, effectively turning the CoE into his daily office.
Washington Sundar’s route has been slightly different. He spent the weekend in Chennai and is expected back at the CoE this week. His task is clear: clear the final fitness checks, convince the medical staff, and put his name firmly on the table when the selectors meet.
The men’s senior selection committee, chaired by Ajit Agarkar, is expected to convene in the coming days to finalise the squad. Those inside the loop believe Washington is tracking well.
The plan is straightforward. Use the Afghanistan T20Is as his re-entry point, let him ease back into the set-up in the shortest format, and build his workload steadily. Over the last few weeks, his training volume has climbed, and there is growing confidence that he will be available for all three games.
Bumrah at the centre of every conversation
All that said, every serious discussion around India’s plans inevitably returns to Bumrah.
The fast bowler sat out the two Tests against Sri Lanka earlier this month, and the management has wrapped him in layers of caution with an eye firmly on the two-Test home series against New Zealand later this year. At 32, with a history of knee trouble, every spell, every sprint, is being measured.
Bumrah has been working at the CoE as well, progressing through a carefully monitored rehabilitation programme. The Afghanistan T20Is remain a tight call. The timeline is unforgiving, and the management is in no mood to gamble.
The broader roadmap had initially been clear: in the buildup to the 2027 ODI World Cup, Bumrah would focus primarily on ODIs and Tests, formats where his impact is greatest and his overs can be more closely managed. The knee injury changed that script.
Now, the idea is to reintroduce him through T20Is, where shorter spells and controlled workloads offer a safer runway. Those tracking his recovery believe the Asian Games are a far more realistic target than the Afghanistan series, provided there are no late setbacks.
If there are no surprises, India should have their spearhead fit and firing by then. The temptation to fast-track him will be strong. The stakes, even higher.
Krunal back in the left-arm spin debate
While the fast-bowling puzzle revolves around Bumrah, another quieter debate is unfolding in the spin department.
After the recent T20I tours of Ireland and England, the Indian think-tank has started to reassess its left-arm spin options. Axar Patel played all seven games on those trips but finished with modest numbers: two wickets in four T20Is against England and two in two matches against Ireland. Solid, but not decisive.
That has nudged the door open again for Krunal Pandya.
His name is back on the selection table, and a recall to the T20I squad would not raise many eyebrows. Krunal last played for India in the 2021 T20I series against Sri Lanka, but his domestic and IPL form has kept him firmly in the conversation.
In the 2026 IPL season, he picked up 14 wickets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and looked sharp, experienced, and adaptable – all qualities India value in a left-arm spinner who must bowl in high-pressure phases and offer batting depth.
As the selectors sit down to shape the squad for Afghanistan, the question is a simple one with far-reaching implications: stick with Axar’s continuity or turn back to a proven performer in Krunal to lock down that crucial left-arm spinner slot?
With Hardik and Reddy fit, Washington close, and Bumrah edging towards a return, India’s T20I jigsaw is starting to come together. The next selection meeting won’t just pick a squad for Afghanistan; it will sketch the outlines of how this team wants to look heading into a packed, high-stakes calendar.
