Lockie Ferguson's T20 World Cup 2026 Participation Uncertain Due to Injury
Lockie Ferguson's T20 World Cup 2026 Hopes in Jeopardy
New Zealand's seasoned fast bowler, Lockie Ferguson, faces uncertainty regarding his participation in the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, set to take place in India and Sri Lanka, following a calf injury, as reported by the ICC.
The 34-year-old athlete sustained this injury while playing for Desert Vipers during an ILT20 league match against MI Emirates in Dubai on December 21. Consequently, he has been ruled out for the remainder of the ILT20 season, with England's Sam Curran taking over the captaincy. Furthermore, Ferguson is also absent from the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) 2025-26, raising concerns about his availability for the ICC tournament.
Initially, Ferguson was anticipated to participate in a five-match T20I series against India before the World Cup. However, as he continues his recovery, and with Will O'Rourke already sidelined due to a back injury, New Zealand's fast-bowling lineup appears increasingly thin.
BCCI Reveals India's ODI Squad for New Zealand Series
In other news, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand, commencing on January 11, with Shubman Gill appointed as captain.
Notably, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been excluded from the squad as the BCCI's Chief of Operations has not cleared him to bowl 10 overs in a match. This decision is part of a strategy to manage his workload ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup next month. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who previously excelled in the ODI series against South Africa, has also been left out.
Veteran players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are set to return, both of whom have been in exceptional form in ODIs. Yashasvi Jaiswal has been included in the squad, which features two wicket-keeping options: KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. The spin department consists of Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav, while the pace attack includes Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshdeep Singh. Additionally, seam bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been added.
India's ODI Squad:
Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC)*, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal.