Washington Sundar likely to miss remaining matches, citing fitness concerns:Suffers side strain injury during first ODI against New Zealand; yet to receive BCCI’s confirmation

India has suffered another injury setback in the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand. All-rounder Washington Sundar is likely to be ruled out for the remainder of the series after suffering a side strain during the first ODI in Baroda on Sunday, January 11. This comes as another blow for the Indian team, which had already lost wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant just before the opening match. The Indian camp has been dealing with a string of fitness concerns, and Sundar’s injury has further added to the team management’s worries. While India managed to win the first ODI and take a 1-0 lead in the series, the injury cloud has taken some shine away from the victory. As of now, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not made any official announcement regarding Sundar’s replacement or confirmed his withdrawal, but the all-rounder is unlikely to feature in the remaining matches. Also read: Watch| Kohli shatters multiple records in Kotambi Stadium against NZ: BCCI honoured Virat Rohit Sharma in Baroda; India chased 300+ target for the 20th time Washington Sundar suffered a side strain injury during the first ODI Washington Sundar picked up the injury while bowling in the first innings. He bowled five overs before leaving the field due to discomfort, with Dhruv Jurel coming on as a substitute fielder. At that stage, it was unclear whether Sundar would be able to bat in the chase. However, when India lost a cluster of wickets towards the end and the match became tense, Sundar had to come out to bat. He scored 7 runs off 7 balls, but was visibly uncomfortable, especially while running between the wickets. Despite the discomfort, he stayed in the middle briefly and did his part before KL Rahul eventually guided India to victory. KL Rahul and Shubman Gill react to Sundar’s injury update Speaking after the match, KL Rahul said he was not fully aware of how serious Sundar’s injury was at the time. “I didn’t know he couldn’t run. I knew he had some discomfort in the first innings but wasn’t aware of the extent,” Rahul said. “He was striking the ball really well.” Rahul added that there was no pressure on Sundar when he came in to bat. “When he came in, we were already scoring at about a run-a-ball, so there was no need to take risks. He rotated the strike and did his job,” he said. India captain Shubman Gill later confirmed that Sundar would undergo scans. “Washington Sundar has a side strain and will go for a scan after the match,” Gill said during the post-match presentation. Team India faces another blow after Rishabh Pant’s injury Sundar’s injury comes just days after Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the series with a side strain suffered during training. Pant was replaced by Dhruv Jurel in the playing XI for the first ODI. Also read: India win 1st ODI after Virat Kohli narrowly misses century: KL Rahul, Harshit Rana steer IND to 1-0 lead despite Kyle Jamieson’s 4-wicket haul With two players picking up similar injuries, India’s team management will be concerned, especially with major tournaments coming up. India’s Injury concerns ahead of T20 World Cup 2026 Washington Sundar is part of India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad, and this latest setback could raise questions about his fitness ahead of the ICC event scheduled in February. The team will be hoping that scans bring positive news and that the injury is not too serious. For now, India will wait for official confirmation from the BCCI regarding Sundar’s status and any possible replacement as the ODI series continues.