NEW DELHI: India’s preparations for the remainder of the ODI series against New Zealand have been disrupted by another injury setback, with Washington Sundar ruled out and young batter Ayush Badoni earning his maiden call-up to the national side.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Monday that Sundar sustained an injury during the first ODI at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara. The bowling all-rounder complained of acute discomfort in his left lower rib area while bowling and was forced to leave the field midway through New Zealand’s innings. Although he later returned to bat at No. 8, scoring seven runs in India’s four-wicket win, further assessment has sidelined him for the rest of the series.
In a media advisory, the BCCI stated that Sundar will undergo additional scans, following which the medical team will seek expert opinion. “Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the remaining two matches of the ODI series,” the statement read.India captain Shubman Gill had earlier hinted at the severity of the issue, revealing after the match that Sundar was dealing with a side strain and would be sent for scans. The 26-year-old had bowled just five overs in the opener, conceding 25 runs without taking a wicket.Sundar’s absence has opened the door for Ayush Badoni, who has been named as his replacement by the selection committee. The right-hand batter, who also bowls right-arm off-spin, will join the squad in Rajkot ahead of the second ODI. Badoni’s inclusion marks a significant milestone in his career, rewarding his consistent performances on the domestic circuit.Sundar’s injury compounds India’s concerns, coming on the heels of Rishabh Pant being ruled out of the series with a side strain sustained during training. Pant was replaced by Dhruv Jurel in the playing XI for the first ODI.
India’s updated squad for 2nd and 3rd ODIs
- Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ayush Badoni
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