Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi returns as replacements, T20 World Cup race heats up
India’s T20I plans ahead of the IDFC First Bank series against New Zealand have taken a slight turn, with injuries forcing changes to the squad. The Men’s Selection Committee has brought in Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi, while Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the series.
Why Washington Sundar is out
Washington Sundar picked up an injury during the first ODI against New Zealand at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on January 11. While bowling, the all-rounder felt sudden discomfort around his lower rib area, prompting immediate medical attention.
Subsequent scans and an in-person consultation with a specialist confirmed a side strain. As a precautionary measure, Sundar has been advised to rest for a few days before reporting to the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE), where his recovery and rehabilitation will be closely monitored.
Given the nature of the injury and the packed calendar ahead, the team management has decided not to risk him, ruling him out of the upcoming T20I series.
Ravi Bishnoi gets the nod
With Sundar unavailable, the selectors have turned to Ravi Bishnoi as his replacement. Bishnoi’s inclusion adds a specialist spin option to the side and gives India a wicket-taking bowler in the middle overs, something the team values highly in the T20 format.
Known for his pace through the air and ability to bowl on flatter trajectories, Bishnoi offers a different challenge to batters and has previously impressed in international outings.
Shreyas Iyer returns to the T20I setup
In another key update, Shreyas Iyer has been added to the T20I squad for the first three matches of the series. He comes in as a replacement for Tilak Varma, who is currently sidelined with an injury.
For Iyer, this presents an important opportunity. While he has been a regular in ODIs and Tests, his role in the T20I setup has been more fluid. A short run in the series could help him reassert his case as a dependable middle-order option, especially against quality spin bowling.
What this means for India
Injuries are never ideal, but India’s depth continues to show. Bishnoi’s inclusion strengthens the bowling attack, while Iyer’s return adds experience and stability to the batting line-up.
For Washington Sundar, the focus will now be on recovery, with the team keen to have him fully fit rather than rushing him back. With major tournaments on the horizon, managing workloads and injuries remains a top priority for the Indian setup.
India’s updated T20I squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shreyas Iyer (first three T20Is), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (VC), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (WK), Ravi Bishnoi