The talking point on day 1 at the Eden Gardens was the Washington Sundar experiment. Was it unfair on Sai Sudharsan and were India being defensive by playing multiple all-rounders? Were four spinners needed in home conditions and was it not the case that one of them would be under-bowled?
If we take the Sai case in isolation, it does seem unfair. He scored a very decent 87 against West Indies and deserves a long rope. Having said that, I don’t think this is a bad experiment either. We have stressed over the last few days that Kuldeep Yadav needs to play. If India wanted to play Axar Patel, Kuldeep could have been left out. But in home conditions, he is a match-winner. As for Washington, he has a century in Manchester, batting at No. 5. He batted wonderfully well at The Oval and has also batted high up the order for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket. To try him at No. 3 is not a bad ploy. That he is also a more than handy off-spinner doesn’t go against him, and to have three genuine all-round options is no bad thing either.
I, for one, don’t have a problem with the team that has been chosen. Washington at 3 is a well-thought-out plan, and in the limited time that he was out there on day one, he did not look uncomfortable. He has played the new ball against England and is well capable. It could well be that he gets out early, but that doesn’t mean that the experiment isn’t worth trying. And if he is successful, the very same people who doubted it will call it a masterstroke!
Decoding #JaspritBumrah’s 5-wicket haul at the Eden Gardens.
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The bottom line is that, in Indian conditions, Kuldeep must play. And to ensure that, if we try Washi at No. 3, it is a worthwhile experiment. I must state here that not for a second do I feel that the door is closed for Sai. Certainly not. In away conditions, India will not want to play Axar, or even Kuldeep, and a specialist batter will come back at No. 3. This is more of a home-conditions experiment, and only time will tell if Washington is successful.
I have to admit that this was a selection call that stumped almost everyone on day one. None of us had predicted that Sai would be the one to miss out, and it was a surprise to see the team list. Having said that, a deep dive does reveal a method behind the madness. It is a call that has proper reasoning at its base, and hence is something worth pursuing.
As my readers read this, Washington is getting ready to come out and face South Africa’s attack. The ball is still not old, and there will be some assistance for the fast bowlers in the morning. So it will be a challenge for him, and will be interesting to see how he deals with it. In front of 40000 people at Eden Gardens, this could yet again be the talking point of the morning.
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