New Delhi, Jan 12 (NationPress) Coach Sarandeep Singh of Ayush Badoni stated that the talented all-rounder has received an eagerly anticipated call-up to join the Indian squad for the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand. Singh emphasized that Badoni is fully equipped to take on international cricket ‘immediately’ due to his impressive form across various disciplines.

Badoni earned his first ODI call-up on Monday as a substitute for Washington Sundar, who has been sidelined for the remainder of the three-match series against the BlackCaps due to a lower rib injury.

While training at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru on Monday morning for Delhi’s upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy match, Badoni was informed of this exciting news and promptly left his state team to join the national squad in Rajkot ahead of the second ODI scheduled for Wednesday.

Although Badoni will miss the critical quarterfinal against Vidarbha on Tuesday, his coach expressed immense joy at the all-rounder’s long-awaited opportunity to represent India.

“This morning’s practice was announced, and we were at CoE in Bengaluru preparing for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Tomorrow we have a quarter-final, but he received a call for the Indian team. We are extremely thrilled for him because he truly deserves this recognition. His performance over the past two years has been exceptional, particularly with the bat, and he has made substantial improvements with the ball. He is ready to step in as an all-rounder in place of the injured Sundar,” Sarandeep conveyed to IANS.

Describing Badoni as the ideal replacement for Sundar, Sarandeep added, “We are very pleased. He is a great player and a strong contender. He had a sense that if someone got injured, he would get the call, and now it has happened.”

Sarandeep also mentioned that Badoni had been patiently awaiting a call from the selectors for some time, crediting his consistent domestic performance for finally earning this chance.

“He has been waiting for about 1.5 to 2 years. His performance has been outstanding. Looking back at last season, when I appointed him as Delhi's captain, he scored a double century against Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy. He also excelled in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His double century in the first Duleep Trophy match this season has kept the selectors watching him closely,” he said.

“Now, he will finally get the chance to play ODIs because he is in phenomenal form. He is batting excellently and bowling effectively. If you need an all-rounder to fill Washington Sundar's spot, Ayush Badoni is absolutely ready to play international cricket right now and deliver,” he added.

India currently holds a 1-0 advantage in the series after winning the first ODI in Vadodara on Sunday. The teams will clash again at Rajkot’s Niranjan Shah Stadium on Wednesday, with the final match of the series taking place at Indore’s Holkar Stadium on January 18.