Big setback for SRH as Washington Sundar ruled out of IPL 2023 with hamstring injury

Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the remainder of the season.

Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday announced that the side's star all-rounder Washington Sundar has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a hamstring injury. No immediate replacement has been announced so far.

Washington Sundar(AFP)

“Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the IPL 2023 due to a hamstring injury. Speedy recovery, Washi,” the SRH wrote.

In seven matches, Sundar scored 60 runs while batting largely in the lower-middle order, at a strike rate of 100. With the ball, he picked three wickets -- all in one match -- and incidentally, in SRH's last match against the Delhi Capitals earlier this week.

Injuries have hampered Sundar's cricketing career consistently since many years, with the hamstring strain being the latest in a series of fitness concerns and illnesses. In 2021, he was forced to miss the second leg of Indian Premier League due to a finger injury, and a Covid-19 infection kept him away from international cricket following the end of the season.

Washington did make a return to the side last year with ODIs against West Indies, but pulled his hamstring that ruled him out of the remainder of the tour.

This year, Sundar represented the Indian team in ODIs and T20Is against Sri Lanka and New Zealand respectively. The all-rounder was also part of the squad for the three-match series against Australia but didn't make into the playing XI.

Just as Sundar had begun a consistent run without injuries, the hamstring strain struck the all-rounder again.

In the IPL 2022 mega auction, Sundar was bought by the SRH for INR 8.75 crore. Lucknow Super Giants were the other franchise batting the SRH for his signature; in the last year's edition, Sundar played 9 matches, scoring 101 runs at a strike rate of 146.38.

He picked six wickets in the season, bowling at an economy rate of 8.54.