After Tilak Varma, Star All-Rounder Washington Sundar Ruled Out of T20 Series; T20 World Cup Participation in Doubt

New Delhi: India’s star all-rounder Washington Sundar, who was recently ruled out of the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand, has now been sidelined from the upcoming five-match T20 series as well. The decision comes after Sundar sustained a side strain during the first ODI between India and New Zealand at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on 11 January while bowling.

Injury Update on Sundar
Despite the injury, Sundar batted at number eight, finishing unbeaten with 7 runs off 7 balls. However, according to a source in the BCCI, he will not recover in time for the T20 series, which begins on 21 January in Nagpur. “Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the T20I series against New Zealand due to a side strain,” confirmed a BCCI official.

T20 World Cup Participation Under Threat
Sundar’s injury also casts doubt over his participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to start on 7 February. Sundar, who has played 58 T20 matches for India, was named in the 15-member squad for the World Cup.

Sundar becomes the second Indian player to be ruled out of a T20 World Cup due to injury in quick succession, following Tilak Varma, who was sidelined from the first three T20 matches against New Zealand due to a groin injury requiring surgery.

Replacement and Team Management
Ayush Badoni was included in India’s ODI squad for the second and third matches in Sundar’s absence. India’s T20 squad already includes three frontline spinners—Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakravarthy—so the team management is unlikely to face a major setback due to Sundar’s absence. However, Bengal all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed could once again be considered as a replacement in the squad to fill the spin-bowling all-rounder role.