Former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has urged the team’s think to provide clarity on Washington Sundar’s role after the second ODI against South Africa. Sundar batted at number five in the opening ODI against the Proteas, but he was pushed down to number six in the second game.
Sundar was run out for a solitary run in the second game after facing eight deliveries. Furthermore, Sundar bowled four overs and went wicketless after conceding 28 runs.
Sundar was dismissed after scoring 13 runs in the opening game and bowled only three overs.
Ashwin said on his YouTube Channel, “Once you have decided to play Washington Sundar, you’ve to treat him as a bowler who can bat. You’ve to bowl out his overs. Only if he keeps bowling, he’ll have the mindset of a bowler who can bat. Otherwise if he just bats and bowls a few overs, he’ll keep searching who he is. So don’t leave him in the searching space. Instead, the team should arrive at giving him the proper role clarity.”
“India also didn’t finish well with the bat in both ODIs. Especially when you don’t have a finisher like Hardik Pandya, why didn’t a similarly powerful Nitish Kumar Reddy play? I am not sure if they are looking at Rishabh Pant as a finisher or not. India are not able to provide that finishing punch. So should an extra fast-bowling allrounder play instead of a spinning allrounder?”
The former off-spinner said India will need to get 30-40 runs extra as their gun fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the ODI series.
“We’ve lost quite a few bowlers in Tests and white-ball cricket. India have lost many experienced bowlers. And in all this, the punch point X-factor is Jasprit Bumrah. If tomorrow he is not a full-time member in the squad, India will have to score 30 to 40 extra runs in every match,” said Ashwin (via the aforementioned source).
Ashwin said spinners like Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav will be the X-factors for India.
“Australia, South Africa and England will continue to chase scores down with the power component. India will produce classy batting but matching these teams in the power component is not going to be easy. With long levers and powerful big-hitting boys, if Bumrah isn’t there tomorrow, it’s going to totally rely on a bit of spin with Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav’s X-factor. Definitely, India’s bowling stocks are a little worrisome.”
The third and final ODI between India and South Africa will be played at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam, on Saturday.
