Shahbaz Ahmed breaks silence on being dumped from NZ T20Is despite Washington Sundar void

Team India all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed has broken his silence on missing out on the T20I series against New Zealand, despite Washington Sundar being unavailable. Shahbaz said that he and Sundar are different kinds of players and added that he remains focused on his performances rather than selections.

India have named Bishnoi as a replacement for Sundar for the upcoming five-match series against New Zealand, which begins on Wednesday, January 21. Sundar was ruled out after suffering a rib injury during the first ODI of the series. The off-spinner’s availability for the T20 World Cup 2026 remains uncertain.

Washington Sundar Is a Different Kind of Player - Shahbaz Ahmed on Missing New Zealand T20Is

In a chat with RevSportz, Shahbaz Ahmed said that Washington Sundar is a different type of player and offers a separate skill set. Shahbaz added that staying fit and delivering strong performances remain his priorities, and opportunities will come when the team needs a replacement.

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"Washington is a different kind of player, and my skill set is different. My focus is only on my performance. If I stay fit and perform well, I believe I will get my opportunity. Whenever a replacement is needed, if I’m performing, I’ll get my chance," Shahbaz said.

Haven’t Played Continuous Cricket Over the Last Few Months - Shahbaz Ahmed

Shahbaz Ahmed said that injuries have disrupted his career over the past few months. He stated that a shoulder injury and a sports hernia forced him to miss a large part of the season. Shahbaz added that limited game time makes it harder to stay in the selectors’ focus.

"I haven’t played continuous cricket over the last few months due to injuries. I had a shoulder injury and sports hernia, due to which I missed a lot of action. I played only half of the domestic season for Bengal," Shahbaz stated.

"When you play less cricket, selectors don’t focus much on you because your performances aren’t consistent. So, my main focus now is to perform well in the remaining season. My goal is to win matches for my team. I don’t set targets like getting an India call-up. My focus is simply to perform well in whichever tournament I play."

Shahbaz Ahmed Impresses Across Domestic Formats After Injury Comeback

Shahbaz Ahmed has built strong experience in domestic cricket and the IPL. After missing most of last season due to a dislocated shoulder and a sports hernia, he returned in good form.

Shahbaz played four matches in the Ranji Trophy, scoring 300 runs at an average of 60. He also made a strong impact with the ball, taking 22 wickets. He carried this form into the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

In the 50-over tournament, he scored 390 runs in six innings at an average of 130 and a strike rate of 103.78, including three half-centuries and one century. The left-arm spinner also picked up six wickets.

Notably, he was part of India’s earlier T20I series against South Africa as a replacement for Axar Patel. However, the Bengal all-rounder was not considered for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand.

Also read: Shivam Dube’s ODI comeback discussed as Nitish Kumar Reddy faces brutal criticism