The BCCI on Saturday announced that all-rounder Washington Sundar has replaced seamer Deepak Chahar in the squad for the ongoing ODI series against South Africa. Chahar hadn’t featured in the first ODI in Lucknow, which India lost by 9 runs, and soon came the reports of him being injured.
Finally, the BCCI spilled the beans on Chahar’s status, revealing that the seamer has a stiff back and will travel to the NCA in Bangalore for rehab.
Chahar was scheduled to fly to Australia after the conclusion of the ODIs against South Africa as he is part of the reserves for the T20 World Cup. But now that is likely to be delayed. India already have lost Jasprit Bumrah to a back injury, and 14 members of the squad flew a couple of days ago.
Bumrah’s likely replacement, Mohammed Shami, is still at the NCA rehabilitating after testing negative for covid.
The All-India Senior Selection Committee named Washington Sundar as replacement for Deepak Chahar for the remainder of the ODI series against South Africa. Mr. Chahar had a stiffness in his back after the third and final T20I against South Africa in Indore and did not feature in India’s Playing XI in the first ODI in Lucknow,” a released statement from the board said.
“He will now head back to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and will be monitored by the Medical Team there.”
Chahar had already missed 6 months of action between February and August due to a back injury, from which he recovered and played in Zimbabwe, Asia Cup and South Africa T20Is.
Sundar himself has been unfortunate to have missed a lot of international cricket because of injuries and covid in the past year-and-half. Only recently, Sundar had got injured while playing County cricket.
This news – of an injury-prone Sundar replacing the injured Deepak Chahar – led to a flurry of tweets that trolled the BCCI.
Netizens mercilessly trolled the board for the fact that a number of Indian players have been suffering frequent injuries.
Here are some of the best tweets:
lage haath Sundar ka bhi ek replacement announce his kr dete given his struggle with injuries in last two years 🤣 (I hope not though,)
— Jatin Khandelwal (@jr_khandelwal) October 8, 2022
Proper replacement😹 injury merchant for an injury merchant https://t.co/dZLfOLY8fS
— TOMMENDRA bahubali (@viperkobra18) October 8, 2022
Another shishe ki body vala player 😭 https://t.co/US0PKLJaok
— Udit (@udit_buch) October 8, 2022
Washington Sundar replaces someone in middle of series/tour
That’s something mew for him 😂😂😂
— Ayush Vashistha (@ayushtweets2) October 8, 2022
Washington kisiko replace kar raha pic.twitter.com/4RUHiUV76M
— सौम्य | #MI 🇮🇳💙 (@Soumya401) October 8, 2022
One injury prone player replaces another 🙃
— Lone wolf 🐺 (@Shrikanth___) October 8, 2022
Sundar ko kaun replace karega phir 😭😭 , banda ek match khelega phir injured https://t.co/42ySM6wofr
— mukku🐾 (@SuperV72828966) October 8, 2022
— Atish (@atishj7) October 8, 2022
India’s ODI squad vs SA: Shikhar Dhawan (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), Rajat Patidar, Rahul Tripathi, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar.
SA won the first ODI by 9 runs in Lucknow. The second ODI will be played in Ranchi on October 9, and the final ODI of the series in New Delhi on October 11.
