Within a space of a week, three important Indian players have endured injuries. All-rounder Washington Sundar has been officially ruled out of the remainder of the ODI series against New Zealand after picking up a rib injury during the opening match in Vadodara. It is quite untimely, as the T20 World Cup 2026 gets underway in a few weeks’ time.
Sundar’s problem surfaced midway through New Zealand’s innings on Sunday. After bowling five overs for 27 runs, he left the field and did not return. Even so, with India wobbling in the chase, the 26-year-old walked out to bat at No. 8 and somehow pushed through the pain, scoring 7 off 7 balls before KL Rahul closed out the four-wicket win.
A BCCI official later confirmed the extent of the setback. “Washington has been ruled out due to onset of discomfort in his left lower rib area,” the official told PTI.
Team India under injury clouds
Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the ODI series with a side strain and replaced by Dhruv Jurel just hours before the first match, while Tilak Varma is unavailable for the first three T20Is after undergoing surgery for a groin issue. India captain Shubman Gill had flagged the concern immediately after Sunday’s game. “Washington Sundar has a side strain and will go for a scan after the match,” Gill said at the presentation. The scan results have now confirmed the worst-case scenario for the ODI series, though the bigger question is whether Sundar can recover in time for the T20Is starting January 21 and, more importantly, the T20 World Cup in February.
Sundar’s T20 World Cup history has already been defined by bad luck. Despite debuting for India back in 2017, injuries ruled him out of both the 2021 and 2022 editions. Another absence would be a cruel repeat, especially given how central he is to India’s plans in home conditions. As of now, no replacement has been named for the remaining ODIs. With Nitish Kumar Reddy already eyeing an all-rounder’s place in the team, India might not need any replacement for Sundar.
