India’s preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 have suffered a setback after all-rounder Washington Sundar was ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand due to injury.
Sundar experienced acute discomfort in his left lower rib area while bowling during the first ODI at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on Sunday. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that the all-rounder will undergo further scans, following which the medical team will assess the severity of the injury.
Ayush Badoni earns maiden ODI call-up
In Sundar’s absence, India have named Ayush Badoni as his replacement for the second and third ODIs. The 24-year-old has received his maiden ODI call-up and is set to join the squad in Rajkot, where the second match of the series will be played on January 14.
Sundar managed to bowl five overs and scored an unbeaten seven in the first ODI before being forced off due to discomfort.
World Cup concerns grow for India
The injury comes at a concerning time for India, with the co-hosts scheduled to play a five-match T20I series against New Zealand following the ODI leg as part of their build-up to next month’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Sundar is part of India’s provisional plans for the tournament, and his fitness will be closely monitored in the coming days.
Adding to India’s concerns, batter Tilak Varma continues his recovery from injury and is set to miss the first three T20Is against New Zealand.
India secure first ODI despite setback
Despite Sundar’s injury, India registered a convincing win in the opening ODI, chasing down New Zealand’s total of 300 with an over to spare. Virat Kohli starred with the bat, falling just seven runs short of a century, while Shreyas Iyer marked his return with a fluent 49.
India will look to take an unassailable lead in the series when the second ODI is played in Rajkot on Wednesday.
