Sai Sudharsan hurt while fielding in Ranji Trophy match, fitness worry before New Zealand tour

A worrying piece of news has come for Team India just before the New Zealand tour. Sai Sudharsan was injured during a Ranji Trophy match. The batter had returned to the field only recently, and the fresh injury has raised questions about his fitness.

The Ranji Trophy 2026-27 match is being played between Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan in Jaipur. Sudharsan is part of the Tamil Nadu side. While he was fielding, Rajasthan's Karan Lamba played a cover drive and Sudharsan was hurt trying to stop the ball. The injury did not look serious at first glance, but members of the support staff took him off the field.

The Indian team is due to leave for New Zealand in October. Five ODIs, five T20Is and two Tests are to be played between the two countries. New Zealand beat India 3-0 in the last Test series, and India will go out to avenge that. For this reason, the team management had asked all Test players to play the Ranji Trophy.

Sudharsan had recently made a comeback. He was in the India A squad for the Test and ODI series against Australia A. He has also been included in the India A squad for the three Tests in New Zealand starting on October 26. He had only just recovered from one injury when he was hurt again, which has put a question mark over his fitness. This could also hinder his chances of a place in the Indian team.

For the past year, Sudharsan was India's regular number three batter. When he got injured before the Test series against Sri Lanka, Devdutt Padikkal got the chance to bat at number three. Padikkal scored centuries in both Tests against Sri Lanka. He has since become India's first-choice number three.

Sudharsan is now a reserve player. He has a chance to bat well in New Zealand conditions for India A and move ahead of Padikkal in the playing XI. But if Sudharsan does not stay fit because of the injury, he could even be left out of the New Zealand tour entirely.