Is Washington Sundar now a vital cog in India’s new Test machine?

The ball, clocking a shade under 140 kmph, was short. It was targeted at the body of the tall left-hander, and it rose towards his right shoulder. The batter moved a little towards his left, and swivelled. For a brief instant, both his feet were in the air, as he played a majestic hook.

Up went the ball over the deep backward square-leg fence, and into the stands. A couple of spectators frantically searched for it under the seats, painted yellow, light blue and violet.

The hook was perfect. A clean six.

In the clutch

It was played by a 21-year-old on his Test debut, at a most tense moment. It was played against the World No. 1 bowler.

That was the shot of the year in cricket.

It changed India’s approach in the final Test against Australia at the Gabba. Instead of a draw, which itself would have been miraculous for a side that was so depleted it had to field a net bowler, India now began to eye victory on a ground where Australia hadn’t lost for more than three decades.

Rishabh Pant took India home. The young man who had hit Pat Cummins for the six that had class written all over it was already back in the dressing room.

Washington Sundar had scored 62 in India’s first innings and had also taken four wickets, including those of Steve Smith and David Warner, with his off-spin. A fabulous Test debut it undoubtedly was.

But, in the four years following that iconic win in 2021, Washington was dropped for more Tests than he was picked. Going into the series in England this year, he had played only nine Tests. For a little over three years, his last Test innings was 96 not out.

Imagine languishing in the wilderness after a knock like that. True, the selectors had to think about the team’s balance and the availability of better spinners.

But, he has never been just a spinner that could bat. And he should have played more Tests. He was telling the world as much with bat, and ball at times, during the past few memorable weeks in England.

It was a series that will be remembered for unveiling a new young India. An India whose batting flourished despite the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. An India whose bowling won two Tests without the services of the world’s best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah.

Washington has proved he can be a vital cog in the new machine. If it was Mohammed Siraj who delivered the final blow at The Oval, with that devastating yorker that shattered England’s dream and Gus Atkinson’s off-stump, it was Washington who played a pivotal role in setting up one of India’s greatest Test wins.

It was the left-hander’s priceless 53 off 46 balls in the second innings, after coming in at No. 9, that ensured India would have just about enough to defend against Bazballing batters who always fancy their chances of chasing a big target. The manner in which he paced his innings, according to the match situation, was brilliant.

When Prasidh Krishna joined him as the last man, he was on 17 off 23 balls, and had hit no sixes. Off the next 23, he made 36 and smashed four mighty sixes.

Never back down

In the previous Test at Old Trafford, he had battled for 206 balls for 101 not out to take India to safety in Ravindra Jadeja’s company.

An enduring image from that match — one of India’s greatest draws in Tests, after being two down for none in the second innings — was the overeagerness of Ben Stokes to shake hands, but if the England captain had known how unfairly cricket had treated Washington, he might not have wanted to deny him that most deserved hundred.

That innings showed yet again why Ravi Shastri, the coach when Washington made his Test debut, wanted him to bat up the order. Some four years ago, he wanted Tamil Nadu to make him bat in the top four. He certainly has the temperament and technique for that.

W.V. Raman believes Washington is an option at No. 3 for India. “And if you give him a string of opportunities, it will provide great flexibility to the side because India hasn’t had a top-order batter since Virender Sehwag or Rohit Sharma who can bowl, and Washington is a proper bowler,” the former India opener told The Hindu over the phone from Chennai. “He can be viewed as both a batting all-rounder and a bowling all-rounder.”

Indeed. He is a genuine all-rounder. And we have seen how powerfully a proper all-rounder, somebody like Stokes, can influence a Test.

“We talk about the lack of all-rounders but when we have them, we don’t slot them right or provide the right opportunities,” says Raman. “What I admire about Washington is that he has made use of the sporadic opportunities that have come his way.”

That has been the case for him at the IPL, too. Even after having a great start to his career in the league with Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017, when he took eight wickets from 11 games at an economy rate of 6.16. After that he turned out for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and then Sunrisers Hyderabad.

This year, he played for Gujarat Titans, for whom he struck a 29-ball 49 on debut. One recalls him talking happily at the press conference about that knock and thanking the coach for sending him at No. 4. And his face lit up when asked about his bowling; he wasn’t given the ball in the game. “I love bowling,” he said, smiling. “It is just about me being ready when the opportunity comes and picking up a few wickets.”

He has done that in Test cricket as well. He took four for 22 in England’s second innings at Lord’s and 11 against New Zealand at Pune last October.

“He already has excellent drift and can get better, as spinners mature with age,” says D. Vasu, the former Tamil Nadu all-rounder and coach, who has worked with him in his development. “When I first saw him as a kid, I was impressed with his skills as a batter and asked him to focus on bowling as well, as it wouldn’t be easy to make it big purely as a batter. And he has always been willing to work hard.”

True grit

The work he has done at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai has helped him fine-tune his game against fast bowling on bouncy tracks. Apart from the technique, what stood out in that hook against Cummins was fearlessness.

You also have to admire the way he has taken setbacks in his stride. It cannot be easy sitting on the bench on so many occasions when you know you should really be on the field.

Now, they cannot drop him, can they?

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