Indian selectors have decided to draft in Washington Sundar for the final two games of the Test series against New Zealand. The 25-year-old was promptly included in the team from the second Test match taking place in Pune. Sundar replaced Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI as the home team made three changes to their team.
The youngster is playing a Test match for India after 3 years, 7 months, and 16 days. His last game for India in the longest format was in 2021 against England. This was the fourth and final game of the 4-match series between India and England. The home team had won the game by an innings and 25 runs to claim the series 3-1.
Washington Sundar made his Test debut for India during the Australia tour in 2021. R. Ashwin’s injury in Sydney meant that India had to give Sundar the cap to replace his state teammate. The youngster did well as he picked 4 wickets with the ball and scored 62 and 22 to help India win the famous Test match and also the series.
Washington Sundar left stranded on 96 in his last Test appearance
The fourth and final Test against England in 2021 saw the visitors bowled for 205 in their first innings. Sundar bowled 7 overs and picked 1/14 with the key scalp of Ben Stokes for 55. With the bat, the left-handed batter played a pivotal role in India taking a huge lead of 160. The left-handed batter also added 119 runs for the 7th wicket with Rishabh Pant who had scored 101 off 118 balls.
The next morning Washington Sundar raced to 96 and was looking well set for his maiden Test ton. Ben Stokes though dismissed Ishant Sharma for a first-ball duck and Mohammed Siraj for a three-ball duck to end India’s innings. Sundar was not out four runs short of a century having played 174 balls with ten boundaries and a six.
The selectors never picked Sundar again as he went back to domestic cricket. Injury issues also didn’t help the young all-rounder as he was in and out of the white ball team. Fortunes changed just a few days ago when Sundar scored 152 for Tamil Nadu against New Delhi. The 25-year-old also picked a few wickets to help his team gather the first innings points.
Till now Sundar played four Tests for India and scored 265 runs with an average of 66.25. His 96 not out is one of the three fifties he has hit and has picked 6 wickets so far with a best of 3/89 against Australia in Brisbane.