3 reasons why LSG must buy Washington Sundar in IPL 2025 Auction
Team India off-spinner Washington Sundar has emerged as one of their most threatening options with the ball on turning surfaces of late. He will be up for grabs in the IPL 2025 auction slated to take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah.
Having been released by his former franchise SunRisers Hyderabad, Sundar will have to be on the lookout for a potential new employer. The 25-year-old, who has 37 IPL wickets to his name in 60 matches, however, will not have to look very far.
The Lucknow Super Giants, who have released all but a few of their young stalwarts ahead of this auction, are in desperate need of a spin-bowling all-rounder, who can also be groomed as a potential leader in the future.
Sundar ticks most of the boxes LSG want from players, and it could very well be a match made in heaven. The Lucknow-based franchise, who released their leading run-getter last season and skipper KL Rahul, will also look to make PR amends.
In this listicle, we take a look at three reasons why LSG must buy Sundar in the auction:
#1 Washington Sundar can provide them with depth in the all-rounders' department
One of the main reasons why LSG must go for Sundar is because he can add a lot of depth to them in the all-rounders' department. At the moment, they do not have any top all-rounders in their ranks, and Sundar can lead them.
He is a solid left-hand batter who is equally good with the ball in hand. Sundar has the ability to bamboozle batters with his top spin, to go with the uneven bounce he often generates due to his height.
He has 112 wickets to his name in 147 T20s, and that is an excellent return for someone who is often entrusted to bowl inside the powerplay. With the bat in hand, Sundar has scored 1263 runs at an average of almost 20.
#2 His game will fit in well at Ekana
Sundar has grown up playing his cricket on the spin-friendly tracks of the MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) in Chennai. Therefore, he knows how to adapt himself to similar surfaces across the world.
The Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, in which LSG play their home games, is quite similar to Chepauk regarding the fact that it too has slow, inconsistent bounce. Sundar's game is equipped with skills for such pitches, and he can thrive here.
Since half of their games in IPL 2025 will be played at Ekana, Sundar will be a key ace in the LSG pack if they do decide to go for him. The management will have scouted him and done their homework regarding his capabilities.
#3 He can also be groomed as a potential leader
Another major reason why LSG will be keen on purchasing Sundar is that he can be groomed as a potential leader in the side. With former captain KL Rahul (who was also their leading run-getter last season) released from the squad ahead of the auction, LSG are desperate to have an Indian leader in their team.
Sundar has led Tamil Nadu on quite a few occasions at the age-group level and possesses the mental ability to separate the wheat from the chaff. He is an extremely astute and strategically aware cricketer, and the LSG management will do well to hedge all their bets on him.