Washington Sundar faced an unfortunate incident during the first ODI between India and New Zealand at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara. The all-rounder walked off the field during the first innings after suffering a back sprain while bowling his fifth over. This occurred in the 20th over of New Zealand’s innings, leading to concerns about his fitness. His departure prompted Nitish Kumar Reddy to take over fielding duties in his absence.
Prior to his exit, Sundar had delivered a commendable performance, concluding his bowling spell with figures of 5 runs for 27. India, opting to bowl first after winning the toss, had employed a bowling lineup consisting of six options, which helped mitigate the impact of Sundar’s injury.
In terms of match progression, New Zealand ended their innings strongly, posting a total of 300 for 8, thanks largely to Daryl Mitchell’s impressive knock of 84 runs off 71 balls. His efforts were critical in stabilizing the Kiwis’ innings after a promising start from openers Henry Nicholls and Devon Conway, who set up a solid foundation with a 117-run partnership.
As India and New Zealand continue the three-match series, the focus will be on how the Indian team adapts to Sundar’s potential absence and whether he can recover quickly for future matches.