Sundar is Ashwin's successor in Indian cricket, feels Karthik
Dinesh Karthik, a seasoned cricketer and commentator, has identified Washington Sundar as the potential successor to Ravichandran Ashwin in Indian cricket. This revelation comes as the team seeks a new off-spinner to fill Ashwin's shoes. "India are definitely looking for a next-gen off-spinner," Karthik stated during an interview with Cricbuzz. He further noted that Sundar has performed well in his limited opportunities so far, making him the leading candidate behind Ashwin at present.
Sundar's performance in limited opportunities
Karthik highlighted Sundar's performance, stating, "They are trying out and Washington Sundar is the front-runner behind Ravichandran Ashwin right now." He further emphasized that "he's done well in whatever limited opportunities he's got and I feel he will get his due first before going to anybody else." This endorsement from Karthik underscores Sundar's potential as a future off-spinner for the Indian cricket team.
Challenges faced by off-spinners in modern cricket
The modern game of cricket presents unique challenges for off-spinners. With larger bats and flatter wickets, the margin of error has become minimal, particularly in white-ball cricket. Former India off-spinner M Venkataramana once stated that "any spinner will get hit on a given day." He explained that off-spinners are often targeted by batsmen due to their predictable bowling arc.
Off-spinners struggle in red-ball cricket
Off-spinners are struggling to make an impact in red-ball cricket, even at the domestic level. Former Tamil Nadu cricketer Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan acknowledged that white-ball cricket's focus contributes to the relative rarity of off-spinners compared to leg-spinners and left-arm spinners in red-ball cricket. He added another reason, stating "We have also become a fast-bowling country." This shift has led to fewer games for spinners and reduced their bowling time per innings.
Sundar's numbers with the ball in the longest format
Sundar has played just four Test matches for India, claiming six wickets at 49.83. He also doesn't have much experience in red-ball cricket. In 27 First-Class games, Sundar owns 56 wickets at 30.76.
