Ayush Badoni, the 26-year-old Delhi all-rounder, received a surprise call-up to India’s ODI squad this week. His maiden India selection came as a replacement for the injured Washington Sundar during the New Zealand series. This unexpected inclusion has sparked a lot of talk, especially since the series is locked at 1-1 heading into the decider at Indore.
Badoni’s Emotional Call and All-Rounder Shift
Badoni was playing for Delhi, captaining them, when he found out. It was right before a quarter-final match against Vidarbha. He told his roommate, Priyansh, that he might be leaving, and Priyansh could be captain. That must have been a lot to take in.
He spoke about the call-up in a video shared by bcci.tv, saying it felt “grateful and happy.” Badoni credits a big change in his game for this opportunity. Earlier, he was mostly a batter. But for the last two years, he’s worked hard on his off-spin bowling.
He feels he can take wickets and add value to the team with the ball. “So I got the benefit of being an all-rounder,” he explained. This transformation into a bowling all-rounder was key. Selectors needed someone who could bat down the order and give bowling options. He’s bowled a lot for Delhi, getting wickets.
Expert Skepticism Surrounds Selection
Not everyone thinks this selection makes sense. Robin Uthappa, a former India wicketkeeper-batter, voiced some doubt. He thinks Badoni has high potential, but isn’t sure he’s “India-ready yet.”
Uthappa’s comments, reported by NDTV Sports, point to Badoni’s domestic record. Cricket analyst Irfan also found it surprising. He noted Badoni hasn’t exactly torn up domestic cricket. He had some decent scores against South Africa A and Australia A. He also got four wickets in three Vijay Hazare Trophy games. These numbers are decent, not explosive. So the thought was he could bowl and bat lower down. But Irfan admitted it was “a surprise.”
Debut Hope and Tactical Trade-Off
Badoni didn’t play in India’s second ODI. They lost that game. But he remains hopeful for the third match, the series decider. The team faces a choice: give Badoni his debut or stick with Nitish Kumar Reddy. This is what analysts call a “classic trade-off between depth and control.”
This call-up fits into larger squad changes. Washington Sundar’s injury worries also impacted the T20 World Cup plans. Ravi Bishnoi joined the T20I squad as Sundar’s replacement. And Shreyas Iyer took Tilak Varma’s spot for the first three T20Is. Injuries are certainly forcing some quick decisions.
Badoni’s Role and India’s All-Rounder Search
As an off-spinner and batting all-rounder, Badoni offers tactical flexibility. He brings composure. His technique against spin could be useful in the middle overs. Especially at a ground like Indore, where spin often plays a big role. That ability with bat and ball made him a good fit for Sundar’s spot. The team is always looking for reliable all-rounders in ODI cricket. Bringing in a player who isn’t super experienced for a big decider highlights this ongoing search. It also shows the selectors trust in finding new talent from domestic cricket, even if some critics aren’t convinced yet. It’s a bold move, and we’ll see if it pays off.
Govind Singh 
Baishali Karmakar 
Annsly Raena