Why India selected Ayush Badoni as Washington Sundar's replacement: India's batting coach gives the explanation
Ayush Badoni joins India's ODI squad against New Zealand after Washington Sundar's injury. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak emphasizes the need for extra overs.
India’s ODI squad for the remaining two matches against New Zealand has a new face, with Ayush Badoni drafted in after Washington Sundar was ruled out, and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak making it clear the move is less about flair and more about covering overs.
Sundar felt acute discomfort in his left lower rib area while bowling in the series opener in Vadodara, forcing the team management into a rethink ahead of the second ODI. Badoni, who has featured for India A, has now been asked to plug that gap.
Kotak underlined the risk of going into an ODI with just five frontline bowlers, especially when one is already carrying an injury. “He’s been playing and performing and he’s played for India A. Normally no team would go with five bowlers, if we had an injured Washy and only five bowlers in the last game, who would have completed those overs?,” Kotak said in the pre-match press conference
“So we need to have somebody who can bowl those 4-5 overs and that’s why he has been selected,” Kotak added.
Ayush Badoni’s call-up comes despite a modest recent return with the bat in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he managed 16 runs from five matches. But he has offered evidence of the “extra overs” value Kotak is banking on, producing figures of 10-0-30-3 for Delhi against Railways to help seal a six-wicket win at Alur.
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The 25-year-old also arrives with the comfort of IPL experience. Since 2022, Badoni has been part of Lucknow Super Giants, scoring 963 runs in 56 matches at a strike rate of 138.56, with six half-centuries and a best of 74. While his primary tag remains that of a batter, his selection has been framed as a tactical cushion — the option to squeeze in four or five overs when match-ups, conditions or injuries demand it.
India begin the final leg of the series with momentum after a tense four-wicket victory in the first ODI, chasing 301 with six balls to spare. Virat Kohli’s 93 off 91 anchored the pursuit, while Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer added important half-centuries as India finished on 306 for 6. Earlier, the bowlers had restricted New Zealand to 300 for 8, with Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna striking at key moments.
