Kris Srikkanth Raises Concerns Over Washington Sundar's Fitness Ahead of Afghanistan T20 Series

Srikkanth Questions Sundar's Selection

In a recent discussion, former Indian cricketer Kris Srikkanth voiced his doubts regarding Washington Sundar's fitness and selection for the upcoming T20 series against Afghanistan. He emphasized that the all-rounder should have participated in competitive matches prior to being chosen for the national team.

Srikkanth highlighted his worries about Sundar's ongoing injury issues, suggesting that the player has struggled to regain his form in white-ball cricket, even after successfully transitioning to Test matches.

Washington Sundar, along with fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, is set to return to the squad, pending fitness assessments. The team also features all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and pacer Harshit Rana.

The T20 series is scheduled to kick off on September 13, with subsequent matches on September 15 and September 17, all taking place at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in New Delhi.

Srikkanth remarked, "He is performing well in Tests but did not play in Sri Lanka. How can he be fit in just two weeks? He hasn't demonstrated his match fitness, so what is the rationale behind his selection? Players need to participate in matches to validate their fitness before being included in the national team. A doctor's note isn't sufficient. Washington Sundar seems to be sidelined with injuries every few series," during his YouTube commentary.

He further noted, "He faced significant challenges in Ireland and England. Although he began his career in T20 cricket and transitioned well to Tests, he appears to have lost his touch in white-ball formats."

In July, Sundar sustained a hamstring injury during the third ODI against England and has been undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence since then.

India's squad for the series includes: Shreyas Iyer [C], Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson [WK], Ishan Kishan [WK], Tilak Varma [VC], Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar*, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah*, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana*.