The rising cost and scarcity of agricultural labour during the peak harvesting period have created a need for mechanized harvesting in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). However, conventional chickpea genotypes often possess low first pod height and spreading growth habit, which limit efficient combine harvesting. The present investigation was conducted during Rabi 2025-26 at the Zonal Agricultural Research Station (ZARS), Kalaburagi, Karnataka, to identify chickpea genotypes with desirable plant architecture for mechanical harvesting. Twenty-five genotypes, including the mechanical-harvesting check NBeG-1267 and four other checks, were evaluated in a randomized block design with three replications. Plant height, first pod height and growth habit were considered the principal selection criteria. Plant height ranged from 42.87 cm in ICCV-231141 to 66.67 cm in KCDE-209, while first pod height ranged from 26.00 cm in ICCV-130039 to 44.73 cm in KCDE-209. Fourteen genotypes (56 %) were classified as erect and eleven (44 %) as semi-erect. KCDE-209 recorded the highest plant height and first pod height, followed by the check varieties Phule Vikram, NBeG-47 and NBeG-1267 for one or both architectural traits. Considering a plant height >50 cm, first pod height >30 cm and erect to semi-erect growth habit as desirable features, KCDE-209 was identified as the most promising genotype. ICCV-231139, ICCV-231136, ICCV-231128, ICCV-231131 were also considered as useful genotypes for further evaluation. The selected genotypes may serve as useful material for breeding chickpea varieties suitable for mechanized harvesting; however, their performance under actual combine harvesting should be confirmed across locations and seasons.