Badoni Added to Ind Squad as Washington Sundar Ruled Out of NZ ODIs

Washington Sundar will take no further part in the ODI series against New Zealand after a rib injury during the first match in Vadodara. The all-rounder experienced discomfort when bowling and had to leave the field in the middle of New Zealand’s innings, after bowling five overs for 27 runs.

Despite the discomfort, Washington later returned to bat at No. 8 and helped India win by four wickets. However, subsequent assessments ruled him out of the remaining fixtures.

"Washington Sundar reported an acute onset of discomfort in his left lower rib area while bowling during the first ODI against New Zealand at the BCA Stadium, Vadodara, on Sunday," a BCCI statement said on Monday. "He will undergo further scans, following which the BCCI Medical Team will seek expert opinion."

Badoni Earns Maiden International Call-Up

Ayush Badoni has also been chosen to replace Washington; it will be his first time in the senior India team. The 26-year-old has played 27 List A matches, averaging 36.47, with a hundred and five fifties to his credit.

Badoni is mainly a batter, but has increasingly worked on his versatility, training to take up positions in the lower ranks and play off-spin where he is needed. He has already bowled 22 overs in three innings in the current Vijay Hazare Trophy with four wickets at an average of 19.75 and an economy of 3.59.

His returns with the bat have been meagre this season, but his record at No. 5 and below has been superb, and includes his solitary List A century. Badoni also has experience in IPL, and he played 56 matches with the Lucknow Super Giants.

India’s Injury Concerns Continue to Mount

The third player to be ruled out of the limited series is Rishabh Pant, who was ruled out of the previous ODI series last week due to a side strain. Tilak Varma is also going to be absent during the first three T20Is due to a groin injury, for which he has undergone surgery.

ODI captain Shubman Gill made an update immediately after the first match." Washington Sundar has a side strain and will go for a scan after the match," he said at the post-match presentation.

India will face New Zealand at Rajkot on Jan 14 and the third game in Indore on Jan 18. That is followed by a five-match T20I series in Nagpur, Raipur, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, and Thiruvananthapuram that will serve as preparation for the T20 World Cup, which will be hosted in India and Sri Lanka in February-March.