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Will Rohit Sharma Replace Nitish Kumar Reddy With Washington Sundar For 4th Test?

Soumyajit Dutta

Rohit Sharma might go for Washington Sundar for the Boxing Day Test at MCG [Source: @Adityakrsaha/X.com]Rohit Sharma might go for Washington Sundar for the Boxing Day Test at MCG [Source: @Adityakrsaha/X.com]

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is currently levelled 1-1 between Australia and India and the fourth encounter at Melbourne Cricket Ground will be crucial for both teams to take a lead. With stakes high for the match, both teams will be assessing and analyzing their squads.

Australia have made a change to their squad by adding Sam Konstas and Jhye Richardson for the remainder of the series. With the next Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground, India might also look for a change in the squad with the first being replacing Nitish Kumar Reddy with Washington Sundar.

The replacement sounds a bit out of place for benching someone like Nitish who has been performing consistently with the bat as well as the ball. However, if evaluated on the basis of spin strength in the squad, Washington Sundar as an all-rounder can contribute significantly.

Here are a few reasons why Washington Sundar will be a good choice to replace Nitish Kumar Reddy for the fourth Test at Melbourne.

Why Will Washington Sundar Be A Better Option Than Nitish Kumar Reddy For MCG Test?

Helping Ravindra Jadeja with the off-spin at MCG

  • Earlier, MCG was known to be a sporting wicket, helping both the batters and the bowlers. While pace bowlers gained the maximum vantage, spinners usually didn't find enough help. However, currently, the pitch has been spin-friendly.
  • With Ravindra Jadeja being the only spin option in the squad, Sundar will add to the spin armoury. Especially, Sundar's off-spin could be crucial. His ability to bowl economical spells and take wickets in the middle overs can be a game-changer.
  • Melbourne pitches assist spinners in the latter stages of matches. Washington Sundar with his international experience, is well-equipped to exploit these conditions.

Might prove lethal for left-handed Australian batters

  • Travis Head's destruction in this series needs no introduction and Sundar’s off-spin could be particularly effective against him and Usman Khawaja as well. He has shown the ability to trouble left-handers with his drift and turn, which makes him a good option for the match.
  • Sundar is also adept at breaking partnerships with his tight off-spin. His variations and ability to bowl in different phases of the game, be it at the beginning or middle overs, make him a versatile option.

Better All-Rounder Option For MCG

  • Sundar’s dual ability to contribute with both bat and ball gives the team added depth. On spin-friendly tracks, his bowling becomes a significant asset while his batting ensures stability in the lower-middle order as seen in the warm up match against Australia Prime Minister's XI.
  • Nitish Kumar Reddy, while performing well as a batter or bowler, does not offer the same multidimensional value that Sundar brings, particularly in pitches like MCG that favours spin.