Vipraj Nigam, a 22-year-old leg-spin all-rounder from Barabanki, has earned his maiden call-up to Team India for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, replacing the injured mystery spinner, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Chakaravarthy’s side strain, sustained during the opening T20I against Afghanistan last week, ruled him out indefinitely from the Asian Games, triggering a three-way race between experienced options Kuldeep Yadav, Krunal Pandya, and the relatively lesser-known Nigam. Ultimately, the selectors opted for Nigam, valuing his youthful exuberance, lower-order hitting ability, and recent exposure to high-pressure environments.
His consistency in the Uttar Pradesh T20 League has been particularly noteworthy—he has featured in all four seasons of the tournament, emerging as one of its top wicket-takers with 55 scalps in 44 matches. In the IPL, he has scored 157 runs at a staggering strike rate of approximately 176, showcasing clean hitting and composure under pressure. Nigam’s rise accelerated in 2026 when he was invited to join India’s Test squad in Sri Lanka as a net bowler. In a recent India A fixture against Sri Lanka A, he claimed 3/60, underlining his readiness for international competition.
“It was my dream to sport the Team India jersey and now it’s going to be fulfilled in Japan. I will try to give my best as winning the gold medal is the biggest target for me too. Nigam has been a regular face in Uttar Pradesh’s domestic setup across formats, establishing himself as one of the state’s premier bowling talents. His batting has arguably drawn more attention. Indian batters specifically sought his expertise to prepare for leg-spin, acknowledging his variations and control. He also featured for India A, where his lower-order batting impressed selectors during the Sri Lanka tour in June-July.
“It’s like a dream come true for me,” Nigam said after his selection on Wednesday. “It’s a great opportunity for Vipraj and I am sure that he will do wonders with both his bowling and batting in the Asian Games,” his coach Sarwar Nawab said.
