"Washington Sundar can come in place of R Ashwin" - Cheteshwar Pujara on the only likely change in India's playing XI for BGT 2024-25 3rd Test
Cheteshwar Pujara reckons Washington Sundar replacing Ravichandran Ashwin might be the only change in India's playing XI for the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He urged the visitors to persist with Harshit Rana in the seam-bowling lineup.
Sundar picked up two wickets in Australia's second innings and contributed 29 runs in India's second essay in the visitors' 295-run win in the first Test in Perth. However, the spin-bowling all-rounder was replaced by Ashwin for the second Test in Adelaide, a game India lost by 10 wickets.
On the Star Sports show 'Follow the Blues,' Pujara opined that Sundar might return to India's playing XI for the third Test at Ashwin's expense.
"I feel only change might happen. Since the batting wasn't good, Washington Sundar can come in place of R Ashwin. Should someone come in place of Harshit Rana? In my opinion - no. You backed him and he performed well in the first match. The second match was bad for him," he said.
The veteran India batter added that Rana shouldn't be dropped due to a solitary indifferent performance.
"However, the team will have to support him. He is a good bowler. You cannot drop him just because one match went bad. We will have to see what the team management thinks but probably only change for me - if they feel the batting lineup needs strengthening, Washington can play for Ashwin," Pujara observed.
Rana picked up four wickets, including impressive figures of 3/48 in the first innings, in the first Test in Perth. However, he was wicketless in Adelaide and proved quite expensive apart from bagging a pair with the bat.
"I don't think you need to go back to Washington Sundar" - Piyush Chawla
![Washington Sundar impressed with the ball in India's home series against New Zealand. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/12/df36a-17338120292890-1920.jpg?w=500)
While speaking on Star Sports, Piyush Chawla opined that Washington Sundar shouldn't replace Ravichandran Ashwin in India's playing XI.
"I think India should continue with Ashwin because he bowled 18-odd overs in that Adelaide Test, and he kept things really tight and picked up a wicket as well. So I don't think you need to go back to Washington Sundar because Ashwin can also get the amount of runs Washington Sundar is getting for you," he reasoned.
"However, you need one proper bowler because, any which way, India is going with just three fast bowlers and an all-rounder. So you need one spinner with that experience. So I don't see that change," Chawla added.
However, the veteran India leg-spinner added that Akash Deep will likely take Harshit Rana's place in the playing XI.
"I can definitely see one change there - Harshit Rana making place for, I feel, Akash Deep because of what he has done against New Zealand. It was on good pitches. There was hardly anything for the faster bowlers. There also he bowled really well," Chawla observed.
Deep has picked up 10 wickets at an average of 25.80 in five Tests. However, he hasn't yet played a Test outside India.