Washington Sundar suffered a serious left lower rib strain during the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara. This type of injury causes pain and limits movement, making it difficult for him to bowl, bat, or field effectively. Because of this, he has been ruled out of the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand, and Ravi Bishnoi has been named as his replacement.
His participation in the February 2026 T20 World Cup is uncertain, as he is still recovering and undergoing rehab at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. The team is monitoring his condition, but it’s not clear if he will be fit in time for the tournament.
2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
The 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be held from 7 February to 8 March 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with 20 teams competing across group, Super 8, and knockout stages. Top teams include India (captain Suryakumar Yadav), Australia (Mitchell Marsh), England (Harry Brook), and Pakistan (Salman Agha).
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5 Indians Who Missed WC Due to Injury
Injuries have often played a decisive role in shaping India’s World Cup squads, forcing key players to miss major tournaments at the last moment. Jasprit Bumrah, Virender Sehwag, Axar Patel, Ishant Sharma, and Praveen Kumar all faced such setbacks at different points in their careers. Despite being important members of the team and, in most cases, initially selected for the squad, injuries ruled them out of crucial World Cups, leading to last-minute replacements and significant adjustments to India’s plans on the global stage.
Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah was forced to miss the 2022 T20 World Cup because of a serious back injury, a stress fracture confirmed by the BCCI in early October. The injury kept him out for several months, stopping him from playing in Australia. His absence was a major setback for India, as he is one of the team’s top fast bowlers, known for his accurate yorkers and match-winning performances.
Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag missed both the 2009 and 2010 ICC T20 World Cups because of a shoulder injury (rotator cuff tear). In 2009, he traveled with the team to England but could not play any matches after injuring his shoulder during the IPL in South Africa. Dinesh Karthik replaced him. In 2010, Sehwag was again ruled out just before the tournament in the West Indies due to the same injury, which worsened during the IPL, and Murali Vijay took his place.
Axar Patel
Axar Patel missed the 2023 ODI World Cup after suffering a left quadriceps tear during the Asia Cup 2023 in September. He was initially named in India’s provisional World Cup squad, but his recovery did not progress fast enough before the final team selection. As a result, the selectors decided not to risk his fitness for the tournament. Ravichandran Ashwin was chosen as his replacement in the final 15-member squad for the World Cup.
Ishant Sharma
Ishant Sharma was ruled out of the 2015 ODI World Cup after struggling with a persistent knee niggle picked up during the Test series in Australia. Although he was named in India’s initial 15-member squad, he could not regain full fitness in time. Ishant missed key fitness tests and a training session in Adelaide, which raised concerns about his match readiness. As a result, the team management replaced him with Mohit Sharma for the tournament.
Praveen Kumar
Praveen Kumar missed the 2011 ODI World Cup due to an elbow injury, commonly referred to as tennis elbow, affecting his bowling arm. He picked up the injury during India’s tour of South Africa just before the World Cup. Although selected in the initial 15-member squad, he failed to recover despite treatment at the National Cricket Academy and consultations in London. He was ruled out in early February 2011 and replaced by S. Sreesanth.
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