"I don't have an answer" - Aakash Chopra on Washington Sundar returning to India's T20I team after R Ashwin's success
Aakash Chopra is unsure if Washington Sundar can make a comeback into Team India's T20I side after the recent success enjoyed by Ravichandran Ashwin in the shortest format of the game.
Sundar has been a regular member of India's T20I squad over the last couple of years but was ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2021 due to an injury. Ashwin, who was brought in place of him as an off-spinner, grabbed his opportunity with both hands.
Washington Sundar’s injury opened up a place Ashwin. There is no other offie of the same class and calibre, not just in India or the world. Ashwin’s came into international cricket thru T20s let’s not forget
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra was asked if Washington Sundar could regain his place in India's T20I team after Ashwin's brilliant comeback. He responded:
"It's a good question. I don't have an answer. Ashwin has done well but Sundar had not done badly either. Sundar had come into the team because he used to bowl with the new ball and provided depth in the batting, he is not a rocket fielder, he is no Jonty Rhodes."
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Washington Sundar's return would depend on Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid's preferences. Chopra elaborated:
"What will happen now, I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine as the things might change because of the management change, the coach and the captain. The previous thinking was that you need a lot of depth in the batting. Rohit has also said that it is very good if there is depth in the batting."
While Sundar is a capable batter, he hasn't done much in international cricket with the bat in the shortest format of the game. He has aggregated just 47 runs in 31 matches, with an unbeaten 14 being his highest score.
"Do you get that depth with Ashwin or Washington Sundar?" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra questioned whether a quality bowler like Ashwin should be left out just to add a little more depth to the batting. He observed:
"Do you get that depth with Ashwin or Sundar? Or will you want to leave out a bowler like Ashwin just for the depth? I don't know because it is not an objective but a subjective call."
The 44-year-old concluded by stating that it is not a straightforward call to choose between Ashwin and Washington Sundar, and left it to the team management to make the final decision. Chopra explained:
"Objectivity ends if you think who will bowl the better four overs - Ashwin will do that better than Washington Sundar, but as a package you need more depth in the batting. Washington Sundar will provide more depth. Both are equal as fielders, so it is not an objective but a subjective call. The captain and coach will take the subjective call, I don't know anything about this."
"Washington Sundar is part of the Camp at Mumbai with the Team India's Test players ahead of the Test Series against New Zealand." - According to TOI
Washington Sundar has enjoyed more success as a batter in Test cricket, with his 265 runs in the format coming at an excellent average of 66.25. However, he is yet to show the big-hitting game to be successful as a batter lower down the order in T20 cricket.