Washington Sundar Ruled Out of New Zealand T20I Series

India allrounder Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. Scheduled to be played from January 21 to 31. This series is a crucial part of India’s preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7. According to ESPNcricinfo, Sundar is still recovering from a side strain he suffered during the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara last week. Cricket updates and team news like this continue to attract strong interest among fans on platforms such as tigerexchange, where followers closely track India’s World Cup preparations.

Injury Details and World Cup Doubt

The BCCI confirmed that Washington is dealing with an “acute onset discomfort in his left lower rib.” As of now, there is no official confirmation on whether this injury will affect his participation in the T20 World Cup. India will open their World Cup campaign on February 7 against the USA in Mumbai.

Ayush Badoni Named as Replacement

For the ODI series, Delhi batting allrounder Ayush Badoni has been named as Washington Sundar’s replacement. However, it is still unclear whether Badoni will also be added to India’s T20I squad for the New Zealand series.

Allrounders Boost India Squad

India are not overly concerned about Washington’s absence, as several allrounders are set to join the squad next week. These include Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel—who is also the vice-captain for both the T20 World Cup and the New Zealand T20Is—along with Abhishek Sharma and Shivam Dube.