IND vs NZ: Ayush Badoni receives maiden India call-up; replaces injured Washington Sundar in ODIs

Side strain sidelines Washington Sundar from Rajkot and Indore ODIs.

India’s injury worries continue to grow as all-rounder Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the remaining two matches of the IND vs NZ ODI series.

The all-rounder complained about a side strain during the first ODI of the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand. The setback comes at a crucial time for Team India, with the T20 World Cup 2026 at home less than a month away and Sundar being a key member of the World Cup squad.

Sundar sustained the injury during the opening ODI in Vadodara on Sunday. Despite clearly being in pain, the 26-year-old player showed courage and contributed in both departments.

He was limited to just five overs with the ball, conceding 27 runs without a wicket. In the second innings, Sundar also struggled to run between the wickets but still chipped in with an unbeaten seven off seven balls. He also added an important 27-run partnership with KL Rahul to help India clinch a tense chase.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, pacer Harshit Rana provided an update, saying, “Washington Sundar has a side strain. He was in pain while batting. Our medical team will assess and update.”

Later, confirming the development, a BCCI source told The Times of India, “Yes, Sundar has been ruled out of the remaining two ODIs against New Zealand (at Rajkot on Jan 14 and at Indore on Jan 18) due to the side strain he picked up during the first ODI at Vadodara on Sunday night.”

Ayush Badoni received maiden call-up as Sundar’s replacement

In response to Sundar’s injury, BCCI has handed a maiden call-up for Ayush Badoni. Meanwhile, Sundar is the second Indian player to be ruled out of the series due to injury after wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was hurt during net practice. Dhruv Jurel has already been named as Pant’s replacement.

The injury has raised serious concerns about Sundar’s availability for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which begins on January 21 in Nagpur.

Given Sundar’s history of injuries and the importance of managing his workload, the team management is expected to be cautious with his recovery.

With the T20 World Cup fast approaching, India will be hoping for a swift recovery for the all-rounder, whose ability to bowl economically in the powerplay and contribute with the bat adds valuable balance to the side. His absence, even if temporary, is a timely reminder of the fitness challenges Team India faces ahead of a major ICC event.

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