India’s growing injury concerns took another hit on Monday as Washington Sundar was officially ruled out of the remainder of the ODI series against New Zealand. The 26-year-old all-rounder picked up what the BCCI described as an “acute onset of discomfort in his left lower rib area” while bowling during the opening ODI at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara. Sundar will now undergo further scans, after which the BCCI’s medical team will seek expert opinion to determine the severity of the injury and his recovery timeline.
To fill the void, the All India Senior Men’s Selection Committee has named Ayush Badoni as Sundar’s replacement. This marks a major milestone for the Delhi batter, as it is his first call-up to the Indian senior squad. Badoni will link up with the team in Rajkot, where the second ODI of the three-match New Zealand series will be played.
Before being forced off the field, Sundar managed to bowl five overs in the first ODI, conceding 27 runs at an economy of 5.40. Although he went wicketless, his contribution with the bat proved useful. Walking in when India needed 22 more runs to win, Sundar provided calm support to KL Rahul during a slightly nervy phase of the chase.
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The pair ensured India crossed the line with four wickets in hand and six balls to spare, with Sundar remaining unbeaten on 7 off 7 deliveries. He did enjoy a slice of luck, though, as Adithya Ashok dropped a straightforward catch off Zakary Foulkes in the 48th over. Sundar’s injury is the third major blow for India in less than a week.
🚨 News 🚨
Washington Sundar ruled out of #INDvNZ ODI series; Ayush Badoni receives maiden call-up.
Details ▶️ https://t.co/ktIeMig1sr #TeamIndia | @IDFCFIRSTBank
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 12, 2026
Earlier, Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the ODI series after suffering a side strain during net practice ahead of the opening game. Tilak Varma also underwent surgery for an abdominal issue in Rajkot, forcing him to miss the first three T20Is against New Zealand. The BCCI confirmed that Tilak will return to skill-based training only after his recovery is complete.
Despite the injury worries, India started the New Zealand ODI series on a winning note. Chasing 301, Virat Kohli led the way with a superb 93, his fifth consecutive 50-plus score in ODIs. Shubman Gill struck a fluent half-century, while Shreyas Iyer chipped in with 49. With the ball, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj picked up two wickets each to restrict the Kiwis to 300 for 8.
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The second ODI will be played on Wednesday, January 14, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot, where India will look to take a 2-0 lead despite their mounting injury list.
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.
