Ind vs Eng 4th Test: With an unbeaten knock of 96 against England in the 4th Test, Washington Sundar has done a Rishabh Pant Test cricket. His knock left England reeling as India took a 160-run first-innings lead.
While Pant’s contribution has been celebrated, Washington Sundar has not been given enough credit. Sundar has become India’s newest star in the lower-middle order in the last four Tests. He is just three Tests old but with 62, 85 not out and now an unbeaten 96 in just six innings, he has rescued India from difficult positions.
96 not out against England in 4th Test at Motera
With India reduced to 146/6 and a lead looking increasingly difficult on Day 2 against England at Motera in the 4th Test, Sundar partnered with Pant to soldier on the responsibility. The duo added 101 runs for the seventh wicket, giving India the lead. After Pant fell on 101, Sundar carried on with Axar Patel as India kept stretching the lead. He was all set to get his first Test century but he ran out of partners as India were dismissed for 365 runs.
85 not out against England in 1st Test in Chennai
In the 1st Test against England in Chennai, England posted a mammoth 578 total but India struggled to match the score. With India struggling at 192/5, Sundar joined Pant in the middle and the duo kept building up the pressure on England bowlers. Thanks to his 85 not out, India crossed the 300-run mark. Otherwise, the margin of defeat could have been bigger.
62 against Australia in 4th Test in Brisbane
In India’s historic win in the final Test against Australia, Pant was given all the credits. But it was Sundar whose responsible 62-run knock kept India in the fight in the first innings. After India were down to 161/5 and soon 186/5 with Pant dismissed too, Sundar relished under pressure. He partnered with Shardul Thakur (67) to take India closer to Australia’s first innings total of 369. If it was not for his innings, India could have been bundled out earlier and the historic win could have been impossible.
“No Ton for Washington….but was by no means any less. Cricket’s obsession with numbers/milestones must not take anything away from this stellar effort. His batting is commanding a place in the side…now, to pick a few more wickets,” former India opener turned commentator Akash Chopra said in a tweet.