Washington Sundar Confident of India's Victory in Thrilling Test at Lord's
India's Path to Victory at Lord's
London [UK], July 14: All-rounder Washington Sundar is optimistic that India will emerge victorious in the third Test, which is reaching a nail-biting conclusion at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground.
As tensions escalated on the field, India ended the day at 58/4, facing a daunting challenge. With a draw unlikely, India needs 135 runs to win, while England aims to claim six wickets to regain their advantage.
Sundar, instrumental in dismantling England's batting lineup to just 192 during the second session, expressed his confidence on Sky Sports, stating, "I definitely see India winning tomorrow."
He added, "We have high expectations, but we are ready to embrace any outcome. We have strong batsmen in the locker room, and winning a Test at Lord's would be incredible. I believe we are in a good position," he remarked during a press conference after play concluded for the day.
The 25-year-old bowler partnered with veteran Ravindra Jadeja to create chaos for the English batsmen. Key players like Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, and Shoaib Bashir fell victim to Sundar's bowling strategy, as he skillfully exploited the pitch conditions to bowl them out. His deliveries varied, with some straightening after landing and others spinning sharply, leaving the English batsmen uncertain.
Sundar praised the fast bowlers for maintaining pressure throughout the day, stating, "The way our fast bowlers performed was remarkable. Ravindra and I aimed to restrict runs, and we executed our plans effectively. We must adapt to the team's needs, and tomorrow will be thrilling. We have the entire day ahead, but we need a solid strategy," he noted.
During the second session, England appeared untroubled with Stokes and Root at the crease, navigating through a wicketless period. However, Sundar took it upon himself to break the partnership, successfully bowling Root out after he had scored 40 runs off 96 balls, while Smith managed only 14 runs before Sundar intensified the pressure.
Sundar continued to excel in the final session, leaving Stokes struggling against the spinners. He finished with impressive figures of 4/22 in 12.1 overs, becoming only the fifth Indian spinner to achieve four wickets or more in a Test match at Lord's. Reflecting on his performance, he said, "Today was certainly one of my best days with the ball, especially outside India. I had solid plans coming into this Test and aimed to execute them effectively in both innings."
"I wanted to contribute to the team in various ways throughout the match. Overall, today has been very rewarding for both me and the team," he concluded.