Sundar's Tricky Path in Indian Cricket

Washington Sundar was lauded for his striking technique during his match-winning performance in Pallekele, allowing India to conquer the third T20I in an electrifying Super Over. Afterward, he was asked about his experience of missing out on the first two matches of the series, only to be called into play after the series was already wrapped up and the team was trying out others in the final vital innings.

The question traced back to Sundar's career trajectory in 2024, a year when opportunities seemed to sidestep him more than they found him. Concerns arose over Sundar's role in the Indian Premier League where national selectors were searching for prominent World Cup contenders. Sundar's flexible all-round skills went under-appreciated due to the Impact Player rule. Sundar's involvement was confined to bowling in a handful of overs and facing a single delivery with the bat.

Despite the limited game time outside the IPL, Sundar took his chance to shine brilliantly with India's second-string team in Zimbabwe post the World Cup, garnering the title of the Player of the Series. Notwithstanding, he returned to bench-warming for the first two T20Is in the series against Sri Lanka as a nearly full-strength India team was assembled.

In response to his situation, Sundar presented a practical understanding. According to him, only eleven could play a match, and he committed to give his best when presented with an opportunity. He asserted the importance of prioritizing team success and personal performance.

When it came to India's spin weapon arsenal, it was chock-full of top-rated players, indicating a stiff competition for Sundar. However, in the ODI leg on the spinning tracks of R Premadasa, Washington got a break and excelled with a combined score of 4 for 76, ensuring he wasn't too far behind fellow spinners Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav.

Despite some experimenting, India maintained a competitive team composition throughout the ODI series against Sri Lanka. This stance confirmed Rohit Sharma's assertion that the series was not merely a preparatory phase for the forthcoming Champions Trophy. Instead, it was about assembling an elemental blend best suited for individual match conditions.