Washington Sundar ruled out of the T20I series vs New Zealand

Udaipur, Jan 15, 2026: Star Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand. He suffered a rib injury during the first ODI in Vadodara and left the field after bowling five overs. Although he later came out to bat at number eight, he was ruled out of the rest of the series after the match.

It has now been confirmed that Sundar will not recover in time for the T20I series, which begins on January 21 in Nagpur. “Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the T20 series against New Zealand due to a side strain,” a BCCI official told PTI. The injury has also put his participation in the T20 World Cup, starting on February 7, in serious doubt.

With Tilak Varma also racing to regain fitness, Sundar’s injury has created problems for Team India. Varma has already been ruled out of the first three T20 matches of the series. The selectors will now have to decide how long to wait for both players to recover before naming replacements for the World Cup.

BCCI’s statement on Washington Sundar’s injury

After the first ODI, the BCCI confirmed Washington Sundar’s injury in an official statement. “Washington Sundar reported acute discomfort in his left lower rib area while bowling during the first ODI against New Zealand at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on Sunday. He will undergo further scans, after which the BCCI Medical Team will seek expert opinion,” the statement said. Following the injury, Ayush Badoni was named as Sundar’s replacement in the ODI squad.

Replacement talks for the T20I series

According to the latest reports, Sundar is unlikely to recover in time for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand. As a result, the BCCI may have to name a replacement for him in the T20I squad as well. However, despite several media reports, an official confirmation from the board is still awaited.

India’s updated squad for the T20I series vs New Zealand

Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma (available only for the 4th and 5th T20I), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (Vice-Captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper).