“I don’t know whether they will bat him at No. 5” – Ravichandran Ashwin on Washington Sundar’s comeback for New Zealand tour
Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed his views on spin all-rounder Washington Sundar’s chances in T20Is after the latter’s comeback in the India squad for the New Zealand tour following a lengthy injury layoff. The ace spinner believes the southpaw only fits in the No. 5 spot in his India playing XI and that no other spot is available for him.
Speaking on his YouTube channel on Friday, Ashwin said:
“The only option left is Washington Sundar. I don’t know whether they will bat him at number 5. If they don’t see him in that role, I don’t know where else he will fit in this squad. Remember, this is a comeback for Washington Sundar as well.”
For those not in the know, Sundar has made his comeback to India’s T20I squad after more than 1.5 years. He last represented the Men in Blue in the shortest format in March 2021.
Sundar, however, recently made his ODI comeback against South Africa, where he picked up a couple of wickets in two matches. He continued his decent form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scalping six wickets in five games.
Ashwin also feels that spin duo Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal together will give Team India a terrific combination. On this, he said:
“Ideally, if both Kuldeep and Chahal play, it will be a terrific combination. We will get great potency and a different variety.”
The wrist spinners were once a force to reckon with as they hunted in pairs in white-ball cricket. But since India’s exit at the semi-final stage of the 2019 World Cup, they haven't been seen playing together.
The duo could reunite in the playing XI as Team India enter a new era in T20Is after the T20 World Cup.
“I’ve worked a lot on my body, particularly my shoulder” – Washington Sundar ahead of the New Zealand series
Ahead of the T20Is in New Zealand, Washington Sundar said that he has spent a lot of time working on his shoulder at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to regain his fitness.
Sundar: "There are so many things I can do to warm-up other than football. After injuring myself a while ago playing football in the warm-ups, I decided not to play it again. It was a good last couple of months. Eager to get on the field."
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Speaking to Prime Video, he said:
“I broke my ankle playing football before a game once, so I told myself I’d never play football again. There are plenty of other things I can do instead for a warm-up, go for a jog, stretch, etc."
Sundar added:
"I have spent a lot of time at the NCA, my stint at Lancashire was amazing before I got injured, so I’ve worked a lot on my body, particularly my shoulder.”
The all-rounder is likely to be in action in the second T20I at Mount Maunganui on Sunday (November 20) after the opening game was abandoned due to rain.