Washington Sundar, Injury Prone but a Potential Asset to the National Side: 2022

Washington Sundar has not made the Indian squad, is struggling with fitness, and has not really set the IPL on fire this season, but the skill set he brings can still keep him as a key player for the future. Five years as a professional cricketer, Washington Sundar has shown up as a handy off-spinner, who can bowl economically in the powerplay. His height helps him create a unique amount of bounce, and although he doesn’t spin the ball too much, he can get enough deviation to keep the batters on their toes.

His batting has also matured over the years, playing up the order in the TNPL, getting fair chances in the Under-19 level and domestic level, and later showing that he can bat when given a chance in the Indian Test team. With the bat, he has already given India three handy knocks, while getting in reach of a century on two occasions. With Ravindra Jadeja injured, he showed that he could be a capable replacement when the likes of Ravindra Jadeja or Ravichandran Ashwin are unavailable going forward.

With the Test team, his batting skill can help him warrant a place in the top seven. Having a capable batter in the top-seven, who could bowl consistently would help India go a long way. On overseas tours, they have an extra spinner if he takes up such a role, and in the subcontinent, they’d have a third spinning option as was seen when India took on England at home last year.

With both bat and ball, Sundar has already shown his worth in Test Cricket. He has runs at the Gabba and on spinning tracks in Chennai and Ahmedabad and has also shown that he can take up the role of a solo spinner. He got the chance to be the lone spinner in the side at the Gabba, and took some crucial wickets in that test match, picking up the likes of Steve Smith, who is among the best players of spin in the Australian side.

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In the shorter formats, Washington Sundar hasn’t had too many chances with the bat, but has shown that he can be handy with the ball. He has opened the bowling on a few occasions, and with 25 wickets in 31 T20Is, he is showing that he can be a handy bowler. His batting hasn’t made much of an impact yet, and his shot selection is an aspect too look out for. As a batter, Washington Sundar is a very positive and daring player, but with minimal opportunities to play a significant inning for India in T20Is, he is still yet to provide confidence.

There has been claims that Sundar is not the fastest batter in the shorter format and may not fit in if he is meant to bat outside the top five. During the IPL season though, Washington Sundar has given glimpses that he may have what it takes. He had a fair share of low scores but with two knocks against the Royals and Punjab Kings, Washington Sundar gave an insight on what he may be able to do. It is just two knocks, but both knocks helped show that Sundar has it in him to both guide the team in the death overs, and score at a fast rate as he did against the Royals.

At the age of 22, such minor glimpses are good enough to find a spark in the player. While Sundar has given a lot of sparkling moments though, his major concern is a big worry. In his five-year career, Washington Sundar has constantly struggled with injuries. In the ongoing IPL as well, Washington Sundar suffered with a split webbing, and missed a stretch of games twice this season. Before the IPL, he injured himself during the West Indies ODIs, and also injured himself before the T20 World Cup.

Injuries have been a concern for him, and his injury issues go back a long way. With a lot of potential, Washington Sundar can only hope that his fitness and injuries don’t derail a promising career as he looks to work on himself and ensure he stays fit for a longer period.