3 reasons why India picked Ayush Badoni to replace Washington Sundar vs New Zealand

Why replacing Sundar with Badoni was the right choice [Source: AFP Photo]

The BCCI made the news official as Washington Sundar, the Indian all-rounder, was ruled out of the remainder of the ODI series against New Zealand due to discomfort in his left lower rib area while bowling during the first ODI. Sundar was not supposed to bat in the second innings for India, but he eventually came out to bat when India was placed in a tricky situation.

On Monday, the BCCI named an official replacement for Washington Sundar as Delhi's star Ayush Badoni has been drafted into the team for the remaining two games. Now, this decision has infuriated a lot of people as there were other deserving candidates to replace Sundar.

However, there are quite a few key reasons why India went ahead with Ayush Badoni instead of someone else, and here's how he can fit in the side.

Solid List-A numbers for a middle-order player

Badoni pedmoninently bats at number 4, 5 in the Delhi squad, and has solid middle-order numbers as Gautam Gambhir is looking for a reliable batter after Shreyas Iyer at 4, and Badoni can fulfil the role in the remaining two games.

(Badoni stats in List-A cricket)

• 693 runs in 27 matches, with an average of 36 and a strike rate touching 93, define Badoni’s numbers in the middle-order. In that middle-order role, Badoni can play as an anchor, and can also shift gears to play an aggressive brand of cricket.
• With Badoni at 5, India can play KL Rahul at 6, or vice-versa as the team lacks a strong middle-order core at the moment.

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India can use him as a finisher

With no Hardik Pandya in the team at the moment, India doesn’t have a reliable finisher and the likes of Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja have been used in that role. However, this is where Badoni comes into play.

(Badoni in IPL as finisher)

• As a finisher in the IPL for LSG, Badoni has racked up 514 runs in 313 balls with a strike rate of 164.2. He has been calm and composed in that role and hence, the management wants him on the team to probably play in that number 5-6 role.
• Badoni can play at 6, and KL Rahul could be used at his usual number 5 position with Ravindra Jadeja at 7, and that could solve India’s problems in ODIs.

He can replace Sundar as a bowling all-rounder

Apart from playing as a finisher, Badoni can also be used by the team to chip in with overs to compensate for the loss of Sundar. Since 2025, his bowling has improved and on an average, Badoni is bowling 6 overs per game in List-A cricket.

(Badoni's bowling stats in 2025)

• In 8 List-A games since 2025, Badoni has chipped in with 10 wickets, and he has had an average of just 21, to go in with an economy of 4.1 runs per over.
• He can be a like-for-like Sundar replacement as both players bowl off-break deliveries, and like Sundar, he can also chip in with overs and take wickets at crucial junctures.

Final verdict

Eyebrows have been raised with Ayush Badoni’s inclusion in the ODI side, but BCCI, the richest cricket board has a clear-cut plan, and Badoni can be used in different ways that suits the ODI side, and data also suggests that he is the perfect like-for-like replacement.

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