
Boria Majumdar at The Oval in London
Mohammed Siraj had just been given out, and yes, there was an edge. India did not have reviews left, and despite Siraj showing his bat to the umpire, the call was final. As he walked away, India’s lead stood at 323. Was it enough against England’s Bazball approach, or would India need a few more? Washington Sundar was out there with Prasidh Krishna and the debate had started. With Washington, the one complaint has been that he doesn’t farm the strike well, and his batting with tail-enders hasn’t always yielded the desired results.
Saturday, however, was different. Washington has this penchant for the big stage and this was one. With the series on the line, he needed to do something special. And he did. Yes, he was there at The Gabba in 2021, and yes, he did play thathook off Pat Cummins. But just like Manchester will define Washington’s career, this innings at The Oval will stand testament to what he is capable of.
England had the new ball, but Washington wasn’t bothered. He just launched an assault that everyone present will remember for a long time. Be it Josh Tongue or Gus Atkinson, he just put them into the stands with amazing regularity. India’s lead sky-rocketed, and with each run, the prospect of making it 2-2 gained momentum.
It was Washington yet again with the defining act. As he got to a fantastic 50, the crowd started chanting “Washi, Washi,Washi, Oye, Oye, Oye!” and it was some atmosphere at The Oval.
Finally, when he skied one, India had a lead that should be enough. While England lost only Zak Crawley, to Siraj’s perfect yorker, there were multiple balls that misbehaved, and many times, the ball went past the edge. The truth is, it is a matter of time.
Coming back to Washington – picking up wickets at Lord’s and scoring a hundred in Manchester – the boy from Chennai has done enough to settle every debate. The Oval was the cherry on top.
In Manchester, the highlight for me was his composure against the new ball. England must have fancied their chances with Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes steaming in, and Brydon Carse waiting in the wings. A second wicket with the new ball after that of Shubman Gill, and all of a sudden, we were into the lower middle order. While Rishabh Pant was ready, it was impossible to expect much from him with a broken foot. Washington had to put his hand up to be counted. And he did.
At the Oval, it was a different avatar. One which took the attack to England and destroyed them. As someone tweeted:“Washington was imposing tariffs on England.”
Washington had once said to me: “There is pressure at every stage, to be honest. If you are playing for your country in front of packed stadiums and with a billion people watching, there is bound to be pressure. But if you look at it, it is also an opportunity. I feel blessed to have this opportunity. To be able to do something for my country and give my best shot every time, I wear the India jersey with this ultimate dream.”
To be honest, Manchester was a dream fulfilled. Much like Gabba 2021, the Test match at Old Trafford will forever have a special place in India’s cricket history. And Washington will remember it, having played key roles in both.
But then, it was still a draw. The Oval, by every yardstick, could be historic. A win tomorrow would be a massive moment for Indian cricket, and yes, Washington would yet again have played a defining part.