India’s growing injury list has become a serious talking point after Washington Sundar was reportedly ruled out of the remainder of the ODI series against New Zealand following a rib injury sustained in the opening match at Vadodara. For a team already juggling fitness issues, losing a versatile all-rounder like Sundar is far from ideal, especially in the middle of a high-profile bilateral contest.

The 26-year-old picked up discomfort in his left lower rib area during New Zealand’s innings. After bowling five tidy overs for 27 runs, Sundar was forced to walk off the field midway through the innings and did not return, immediately raising concerns in the Indian camp.

Despite the pain, he showed admirable determination by coming out to bat at No. 8 during India’s chase, remaining unbeaten as the hosts secured a four-wicket victory to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.

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According to a PTI report, a BCCI official later confirmed that Sundar had been ruled out after scans were advised due to the rib issue. India captain Shubman Gill had already hinted at the seriousness of the injury during the post-match presentation.

“Washington Sundar has a side strain and will go for a scan after the match,” Shubman Gill said, underlining the uncertainty surrounding his availability.

🚨Washington Sundar out of Indian ODI squad for NZ series🚨

– He got injured on field in 1st ODI in Baroda 😬#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/C3gXtwA58y

— Rocket Singh (@rocketSahab) January 12, 2026

Sundar’s contribution with the bat, however, proved vital. He put together a crucial 27-run partnership with KL Rahul, helping India stabilise during a tense phase of the 301-run chase. Rahul later admitted he did not realise how badly Sundar was hurt at the time. “I knew he had some discomfort but didn’t realise he couldn’t run properly. He rotated the strike well and did exactly what was needed,” Rahul said.

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Sundar now become the third Indian player to be sidelined in recent days. Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the ODI series with a side strain, while Tilak Varma is set to miss the first three T20Is after undergoing surgery for a groin injury. For India, Virat Kohli’s fluent 93, along with half-centuries from Gill (56) and Shreyas Iyer (49), ensured the injury worries were temporarily masked by a confident chase — but the growing fitness concerns remain a major storyline.