BCCI Rules Out Washington Sundar From NZ ODI Series; Ayush Badoni Called Up

Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the IND vs NZ ODI series after a side strain injury during 1st ODI.

In a significant blow to India’s bowling attack, all-rounder Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the remaining two matches in the ongoing IDFC First Bank ODI series against New Zealand.

The 26-year-old off-spinner experienced acute discomfort in his left lower rib area while bowling during the series opener at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on January 11, 2026.

Washington Sundar managed to bowl only five overs before leaving the field, and despite the discomfort, he came out to bat lower down the order in India’s successful chase.

The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his condition closely, with further scans and expert consultations planned to determine the extent of the injury. This adds to India’s recent injury concerns in the white-ball leg, following setbacks to other players earlier in the tour.

Ayush Badoni Receives Maiden Call-Up

In a positive development, the Men’s Selection Committee has handed a maiden international call-up to young all-rounder Ayush Badoni as Sundar’s replacement.

The 24-year-old from Delhi, known for his explosive lower-order batting and handy leg-spin, will join the squad in Rajkot ahead of the second ODI on January 14.

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Badoni has been a standout performer in domestic cricket and the IPL, representing Lucknow Super Giants with notable big-hitting displays, including a record-breaking 165 off 55 balls featuring 19 sixes in the Delhi Premier League.

His inclusion injects fresh energy into a squad already boasting spinning options like Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, alongside all-round depth from Nitish Kumar Reddy.

India’s updated squad for 2nd and 3rd ODIs: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ayush Badoni

With India leading 1-0 after a tense victory in Vadodara, the team will aim to seal the series in Rajkot, while Badoni gets an opportunity to impress on the big stage.