Washington Sundar's fresh injury update issued 2 days before T20 World Cup 2026

Washington Sundar fresh injury update [Source: AFP]

In a major development ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, a fresh update has emerged regarding Indian spin-all-rounder Washington Sundar. The tournament is set to begin on February 7, and Sundar’s fitness has become a key talking point. 

Notably, the 26-year-old suffered a rib injury during the first ODI match of the three-game series against New Zealand at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara in early January.

It is important to note that due to sharp pain in his lower rib area, he was immediately ruled out of the remaining ODIs as well as the T20I series. Since that incident, Washington Sundar has not featured in any matches and has been working on his recovery.

Suryakumar Yadav gives update on Washington Sundar

Soon after sustaining the injury, Washington Sundar consulted renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala in Mumbai. After spending some time resting at his home in Chennai, he checked into the Centre of Excellence on January 20 to officially begin his rehabilitation program.

Meanwhile, it was reported that Washington Sundar was supposed to undergo a fitness test at the BCCI CoE on February 4, 2026. However, as of now, there is no confirmed information about the outcome of that test.

However, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav shared an update on Washington during the press conference. Surya remained confident about Sundar's availability. He said,

"We spoke to him. He's almost there. We are confident. We are patient and confident about his recovery."

BCCI willing to wait for Washington Sundar's recovery 

Meanwhile, according to reports from Cricbuzz on Thursday, the BCCI is willing to wait for Sundar to regain full fitness. At the same time, there has been no indication that the selectors are actively looking for a replacement. 

Instead, the board is waiting for an official fitness update from the CoE. Importantly, Sundar is still expected to be available for the T20 World Cup, provided his recovery continues in the right direction.

Earlier reports had suggested positive signs in Sundar’s rehabilitation process. The Indian all-rounder has shown good improvement and has already completed four batting sessions without experiencing any discomfort. 

In addition to batting, he has also resumed bowling. On February 2, he bowled a total of four overs, which was an encouraging sign. Furthermore, another bowling session was scheduled for February 4 to check how well his body handles increased workload.

Washington Sundar's numbers in T20Is

Looking at his T20I career, Sundar has become an important part of India’s white-ball setup. So far, he has played 58 T20 international matches, scoring 254 runs and picking up 51 wickets. Whether he will be fit in time to feature in the T20 World Cup remains to be seen.

In addition to Sundar’s concerns, India are facing another injury setback. While Tilak Varma recently made a strong comeback after surgery, fast bowler Harshit Rana is now under watch after sustaining an injury during India vs South Africa warm-up match.

Meanwhile, India have been placed in Group A of the T20 World Cup alongside Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan, and the USA. They will kick off their campaign against the USA on Saturday, February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.