Ace all-rounder Washington Sundar has been ruled out of India’s upcoming three-match T20I series against West Indies. The entire T20 leg is scheduled to take place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, starting February 16 (Wednesday).

The youngster who staged an international comeback in the recent ODI series against West Indies after a long injury-forced hiatus, will require a few weeks to recover, reports claimed.

“Washington Sundar suffered a left hamstring muscle strain during fielding in the third ODI,” said a statement from BCCI. 

Kuldeep Yadav, who returned to the ODI set up earlier in the series, has been added to the shortest format as Washington Sundar’s replacement. The Chennai-based spinner will have to report at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Tuesday (February 15) and is set to spend three weeks at the NCA.

Meanwhile, Sundar is the third player to be out of the Twenty20 series against West Indies after vice-captain KL Rahul and all-rounder Axar Patel.

While Rahul sustained an upper left hamstring strain during fielding in the 2nd ODI (vs West Indies) on February 9, Axar has resumed the final stage of his rehabilitation after recently recovering from Covid-19, the BCCI said.

“They will now head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further management of their injury,” the BCCI said recently adding “The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Ruturaj Gaikwad and Deepak Hooda as replacements,” it added. 

The three T20Is are scheduled to take place on February 16, 18 and 20.

India’s T20I squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Kuldeep Yadav

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