Washington Sundar Excluded from T20 Series Against New Zealand Due to Injury
Washington Sundar's Injury Update
Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar will miss the upcoming five-match T20 series against New Zealand. According to reports, this series is scheduled to take place from January 21 to January 31 and is crucial for India's preparations ahead of the T20 World Cup starting on February 7. Sundar is currently recovering from an injury sustained during the first ODI against New Zealand last week in Vadodara. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had previously indicated that he experienced sudden pain in the lower part of his left rib.
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At this point, it remains uncertain whether this injury will affect his availability for the T20 World Cup. India is set to play their first match of the tournament against the USA on February 7 in Mumbai. In Sundar's absence, Delhi all-rounder Ayush Badoni has been included in the ODI squad, although selectors have yet to confirm if Badoni will also be part of the T20 team.
India does not need to be overly concerned about Sundar's absence in the T20 matches against New Zealand, as several key all-rounders are expected to join the team next week. Hardik Pandya is in excellent form, and Axar Patel, who serves as the vice-captain for both the T20 World Cup and the series against New Zealand, along with Abhishek Sharma and Shivam Dube, will also be available. Additionally, Tilak Varma will miss the first three T20 internationals due to surgery for a groin injury.
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The Indian squad for the T20 series against New Zealand includes: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma (unavailable for the first three matches), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, and Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper).