Ravi Shastri Backs Washington Sundar as India's Future All-Rounder
Shastri's Endorsement of Sundar
New Delhi, July 22: Former Indian cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri has expressed strong support for Washington Sundar, predicting he will be a "genuine all-rounder for many years to come" for the Indian cricket team.
Under the guidance of head coach Gautam Gambhir, Sundar is gradually becoming a prominent figure in various formats of the game. His rise in prominence is largely credited to Gambhir's faith in the 25-year-old over recent months. Even renowned spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has acknowledged Gambhir's high regard for Sundar.
Taking advantage of the opportunities presented to him, Sundar showcased his skills with a solid 23 runs off 76 balls in the first innings. In the second innings, he impressed with bowling figures of 4/22 in 12.1 overs, although it wasn't enough to prevent India from suffering a narrow 22-run defeat.
Shastri, who has witnessed Sundar's impressive performances, believes he has the potential to evolve into a key all-rounder in Test cricket. "I have always admired Washington. From day one, I knew he was the one. He can be a genuine all-rounder for India for many years," Shastri stated during an interview on The ICC Review.
Sundar made his Test debut during India's remarkable victory against Australia at the Gabba in 2021. However, after that series, his chances in red-ball cricket became scarce. Shastri hopes Sundar will receive more playing time, highlighting his past achievements and ability to excel on turning pitches.
At just 25 years old, Shastri believes Sundar should have participated in more Test matches, especially on Indian pitches where spin plays a crucial role. He recalled Sundar's impressive performance during New Zealand's tour of India in 2024, where he was the joint top wicket-taker with 16 wickets in four innings, outshining several senior spinners.
When Sundar debuted, India was facing a slew of injuries. Shastri, who was the head coach at that time, turned to Sundar for the Gabba Test, where he scored a vital 62 runs under pressure, contributing significantly to India's historic win.
He followed that up with remarkable innings of 85 and 96 in subsequent matches against England at home. Despite batting at No. 7 or lower in 10 of his 11 Test appearances, Sundar maintains an impressive average of 38.92, including four half-centuries.
Shastri emphasized Sundar's natural talent, stating, "He’s not a number 8. He can easily move up to number 6 in the batting order. He’s a naturally gifted batsman."
Shastri is confident that Sundar's influence will extend beyond subcontinental conditions, anticipating that he will be a valuable asset for India in overseas matches, as evidenced by his ability to take crucial wickets of players like Joe Root and Ben Stokes at Lord's.
"Once he gains confidence, I believe he will continue to improve. He possesses the drift, pace, finger strength, and fitness to bowl long spells and control the game when necessary," he added.
Sundar's presence has enhanced India's batting depth while providing an additional bowling option. It remains to be seen if the team will adjust its lineup to include wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav for the upcoming fourth Test against England in Manchester.
India's squad for the fourth Test includes: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj.
England's playing XI features: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith, Liam Dawson, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer.