Washington Sundar ruled out of India vs New Zealand T20I series

The news we’d hoped wouldn’t happen before a crucial series and the upcoming World Cup has unfortunately become reality. Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar ruled out of India vs New Zealand T20I series. A player capable of changing the course of an innings with both ball and bat, he remains out of the game during a key period of preparation.

Washington Sundar ruled out of India vs New Zealand T20I series: injury

It all started during the first ODI in Vadodara on January 11. Sundar felt a sharp pain in his lower ribs while serving. A scan and consultation with a specialist followed. The diagnosis is strain side, or stretching of the muscles of the lateral section. This type of injury is a serious and painful matter for a cricketer, especially for a bowler. This is what led to Washington Sundar ruled out of India vs New Zealand T20I series.

The BCCI’s official release states that he has now been prescribed a few days of complete rest, after which his rehabilitation will continue at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. The main question hanging in the air is whether he will be fit in time for the start of the T20 World Cup on February 7. There is no answer yet, and this uncertainty is clearly adding to the nervousness in the Indian team camp.

The series against New Zealand is the final touches, the last opportunity to test combinations and gain form before the World Cup, which India will be defending at home. Losing a key player at such a time is always a difficult challenge. The management team has to quickly adapt and find solutions.

Washington Sundar ruled out of India vs New Zealand T20I series: lineup changes

And solutions have been found. Washington Sundar ruled out of India vs New Zealand T20I series, and Ravi Bishnoi, a young and tricky leg spinner, has been called up to the T20I squad in his place. But the replacement for Tilak Varma, who will also miss the first three matches due to a recent groin operation, turned out to be more experienced.

Shreyas Iyer returns to the series. This is his chance to prove himself in the most suitable format. As for Varma, his recovery is going slower than expected. The wound has not yet fully healed, and it has not yet been possible to resume full training. After all, it was he who brought victory in the Asian Cup final against Pakistan last year.

So, the plans have been adjusted. Let’s figure out who will be going to the series now and when it all starts.

• T20I Series (5 matches): Starts on January 21 in Nagpur and will continue till January 31.
• India’s updated T20I squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Shreyas Iyer (first three T20Is), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arship Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Ravi Bishnoi.
• Washington Sundar is Tilak Varma not fit for first three games.
• ODI series (almost finished): As a reminder, Sundar was injured in the first match. Then, young all-rounder Ayush Badoni from Delhi was called up to the ODI squad to replace him. Whether he will also be included in the T20I squad is still unknown. The decision probably depends on the progress of the other players.

Despite the loss of Sundar, India still has a solid pool of all-rounders. The captain will have Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Shivam Dubey, and Abhishek Sharma at his disposal. Any team in the world would probably envy such a rotation. But each of them is a player with a unique profile, and Sundar’s absence deprives the team of an off-spin option.

The race against time has begun for Sundar. The T20 World Cup is just around the corner, and Group A, where India plays, already awaits: USA (first match on February 7 in Mumbai), Namibia, Pakistan, and the Netherlands. Every game will count.