Beware left-handers! Why India added Washington Sundar to Test squad
India's assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, has explained the rationale behind Washington Sundar's inclusion in the Test squad for the impending clash against New Zealand in Pune, starting October 24. The decision was mainly taken to counter New Zealand's left-handed batters. Doeschate said they have Axar Patel too, who can take the ball away from right-handers.
Sundar's inclusion sends a positive message: Doeschate
Doeschate stressed that Sundar's inclusion is not a last-ditch effort but a tactical move. He was confident about the spinners in the team and stressed on being completely prepared for different conditions. The coach also clarified that Ravichandran Ashwin, India's premier off-spinner, has no injury concerns. Notably, Ashwin bowled just 18 overs across two innings in Bengaluru.
Sundar's stats in Test cricket
Sundar has been a regular feature in India's white-ball squads in the past few months. However, he hasn't played Test cricket since March 2021. Nevertheless, he was named in the squad as a replacement for the injured Ravindra Jadeja during the home Test series against England earlier this year. Sundar has played four Tests so far. He owns a total of 265 at an average of 66.25. With the ball, he has bagged six wickets with his offspin at 49.83.
Team India aims for better pitch assessment in Pune
After admitting to misjudging the conditions in Bengaluru, Doeschate assured they are working hard assess the nature of Pune wicket. He said, "We got it slightly wrong in Bangalore the other day. I don't think it was a massive miss." The coach also confirmed both Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant are on track for full recovery ahead of the second Test.
Selection challenges and player performance
Doeschate admitted that it was difficult to pick the right players according to conditions in Pune. He also spoke about KL Rahul's silent Test despite his recent performances, saying, "Yeah, there's no point in sugarcoating it. There's a fight for a spot." Mentioning the pacers, he lauded Mohammed Siraj's performance in the 1st Test and hinted at Akash Deep's return to the team soon.
Team India squad for 2nd and 3rd Test matches
India's squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, and Washington Sundar.
