India have received an early warning sign ahead of their T20 World Cup title defence, with all-rounder Washington Sundar ruled out of the remaining two ODIs against New Zealand after suffering a rib issue.
Sundar felt discomfort around his lower left rib while bowling during the first ODI, a match India went on to win by four wickets. The Indian team management decided not to take any risk with the 25-year-old, opting to rest him and monitor his recovery closely.
The BCCI confirmed that Sundar will miss the last two games of the series as a precautionary measure. While the injury is not believed to be serious, it comes at a sensitive time with the T20 World Cup just weeks away, where Sundar is expected to play a key role as a spin-bowling all-rounder.
Team doctors will continue to assess his condition, with the focus firmly on ensuring he is fully fit before India begin their World Cup campaign.