India all rounder Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the upcoming five match T20 series against New Zealand. The BCCI confirmed the development on Wednesday.
Washington Sundar sustained the injury while bowling in the first ODI against New Zealand. He experienced pain in his left lower ribs and was forced to miss the remainder of the ODI series.
After medical evaluation, it was confirmed that he would not recover in time for the T20 matches. The board officially stated that he has been ruled out due to a side strain.
The T20 series is scheduled to begin on January 21 in Nagpur. Sundar will miss all five matches, dealing a blow to India ahead of the T20 World Cup preparations.
India now loses a key spin bowling all rounder at a crucial stage. Washington Sundar’s contribution with both ball and lower order batting has been vital in the shortest format.
His injury has also raised concerns about his availability for the T20 World Cup 2026, which begins on February 7. The team management is expected to closely monitor his recovery before finalising the squad.
Meanwhile, left handed batter Tilak Varma will miss the first three T20Is. He underwent surgery following an injury and is currently in recovery.
The Indian team is expected to announce replacements for the injured players soon. Selection decisions will be crucial as India fine tunes its squad ahead of the global tournament.
