Mohammed Kaif criticizes team management for putting injured Washington Sundar at risk during ODI chase.

Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif has harshly criticized the Indian team management for allowing an injured Washington Sundar to bat during the 301-run chase against New Zealand in the first ODI at Vadodara on Sunday.

Sundar, who was dealing with a side strain, was unable to finish his bowling duties in the first innings. The 26-year-old bowled only five overs for 27 runs before limping off midway through New Zealand’s innings and did not return to the field thereafter.

“You’ll recall that when Shubman Gill was injured, he did not come out to bat in that Test match in Kolkata. It was a high-scoring contest, and many believed that even 20 or 30 runs from him could have helped India secure victory, yet he remained off the field.
“That decision prioritized the player’s safety to prevent further injury. However, the same care was not extended to Sundar, which I believe was a poor decision. KL Rahul’s running between the wickets was hampered. Even though India won the match, I think there was a significant risk of worsening the injury during yesterday’s game,” Kaif stated on his YouTube channel.

Despite showing visible signs of discomfort, Sundar was sent out to bat during India’s chase, a decision that Kaif believed unnecessarily endangered the all-rounder further. India ultimately clinched the match with an over to spare, thanks to a composed 29-run contribution from KL Rahul.

“If he’s injured and you need runs at a run-a-ball, you should consider alternative options first. When a player is injured and you send him in under pressure, the injury may worsen. He couldn’t run for twos even when the ball went to deep point or square leg; he was only able to manage singles. While the required run rate was around a run-a-ball and the match seemed in control, I felt sending in an injured player was a gamble. What could have been a one-week or ten-day injury could extend to 20, 25, or even 30 days,” Kaif continued.

Nonetheless, Rahul later confessed that he was unaware Sundar was struggling to run properly from the non-striker’s end. Kaif questioned the decision of the team management, led by Gautam Gambhir, to put an injured player in such a position, especially with important tournaments on the horizon.