India all-rounder Washington Sundar has certainly played some crucial role in India’s winning campaign against Australia and England in the Test fixtures in a brief career with the side.
Sundar scored 96* against England in the first innings of the fourth and final Test that India went on to win by an innings and 25 runs eventually in Ahmedabad. The win helped India clinch the series 3-1 and march into the finals of the WTC that would be played against New Zealand in June.
Head coach Ravi Shastri has praised the left-hander’s batting ability. “Washington Sundar has far more natural ability than I had. I think he should be batting in top-four for his state, there is no question about that. I think he should be batting in the top four, he is good enough and he belongs there. At the same time, if he can focus on his bowling, India would have a very good number six in the future. Somebody who could get you a 60-70 and then bowl for you. That was my role at number six, and I think he can do the same role and even better,” said Shastri during a virtual press conference on Sunday.
Shastri further went on to say that Sundar has “unbelievable composure and temperament”. “Sundar has unbelievable composure and temperament. For someone, who was an opening batsman during the U-19 days but to see that kind of body langugage, unfazed by the best bowlers in the world during the toughest situations, as in Brisbane and Chennai. It was unreal, this innings in the fourth Test is even better than Brisbane because you are playing at home and you have a World Championship on the line. 50 adrift from the opposition and you are batting with Pant, yes you have Axar to come in next but your objective is to get closer to 205.”
“These youngsters are not thinking of that, they are playing normal and fearless cricket. They are playing free cricket, and then they went on to get 360,” he added.