Vipraj Nigam replaces Chakravarthy in Asian Games squad

Delhi Capitals leg-spinner Vipraj Nigam has been named as a replacement for Varun Chakravarthy in India's squad for the Asian Games 2026 cricket tournament. The change was confirmed on September 16, a day after Chakravarthy sustained a side strain during India's first T20I against Afghanistan in Delhi.

Chakravarthy bowled four overs in that match, returning figures of 1/16, before experiencing discomfort in the third over of his spell. Kuldeep Yadav had also been part of the Asian Games roster as a replacement option, but his selection for India's upcoming ODI series against West Indies opened the door for Nigam to step in.

The cricket tournament is scheduled to begin on September 28 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Nigam has claimed 34 wickets from 33 T20 matches and scored 244 runs with a highest score of 39.