Three players who can replace Washington Sundar in the Indian ODI squad
All-rounder Washington Sundar is currently in isolation, having tested positive for COVID-19. The Tamil Nadu all-rounder was named in India's ODI squad for the 3-match rubber in South Africa starting January 19 in Paarl.
With Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel missing out due to injuries and Hardik Pandya also not fit, Sundar was expected to feature in India's XI. There remains uncertainty over whether he will travel with the ODI squad or not even as he approaches the end of his isolation period.
Potential replacements for Washington Sundar for the South Africa ODIs
Washington Sundar returned to competitive cricket during the 2021-22 Vijay Hazare Trophy. A finger injury had kept Sundar out of action since the tour of England and he had to go under the knife as a result.
Sundar returned with a bang as he enjoyed a good run with the bat and the ball in Tamil Nadu's run to the final in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
In the likelihood that Sundar won't be boarding the flight to South Africa, it remains to be seen if the selectors will announce a replacement player. Venkatesh Iyer is the only other all-rounder in the Indian ODI squad but he is yet to make his international debut in the format.
Here, we take a look at three potential replacements for Washington Sundar for the one-dayers in South Africa:
#1 Krunal Pandya
Krunal Pandya has slipped off the radar owing to some lackadaisical performances in recent times. That said, with injuries to Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, the senior of the Pandya brothers could fill that number 7 slot.
Pandya featured in the recently-concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy and chipped in with useful contributions for Baroda, even if he didn't set the stage alight. Pandya has played 5 ODIs for India, even scoring the fastest fifty by an Indian on debut in the format against England last year.
Given the experience he possesses in domestic cricket and the IPL, Krunal Pandya could just get an SOS call for India's ODI squad. Don't be surprised if he is picked to play the series in South Africa as India seek balance in their side in the absence of Washington Sundar.
#2 Krishnappa Gowtham
Karnataka all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham has been on the radar of the national selectors for a while now. Gowtham played his solitary ODI in Sri Lanka last year, scoring 2 runs and picking up a wicket.
Gowtham seems to be the perfect fit for the number 7 slot which Washington Sundar was expected to occupy. Apart from being a regular with the ball, he gives it a real whack with the bat and can don the finisher's hat.
Gowtham is no stranger to South African shores, having played a couple of four-day games for India A in November and December 2021. There is every possibility that he will return to the same shores in the Indian blue as a replacement for Washington Sundar. Needless to say, he will be itching to prove his mettle and add to his solitary international appearance.
#1 Jayant Yadav
Jayant Yadav recently made a comeback to international cricket, having featured in the Mumbai Test against New Zealand last month. The off-spinning all-rounder from Haryana is a tidy operator with the ball while being handy with the bat.
Unlike Krishnappa Gowtham, Jayant Yadav isn't the quintessential hard hitter that teams look for in a number 7 batter. However, he is technically sound and capable enough to do the job on the day, making him an option to consider.
The biggest advantage from a logistics and bio-bubble point of view, though, is that Jayant is already with the Test squad in South Africa. This could just coax the selectors into holding him back post the Test series as a replacement for Washington Sundar.
Hence, it won't be surprising if Jayant Yadav is named as the replacement player for Washington Sundar in the upcoming ODI series.