Washington Sundar Makes Surprising Comeback to India’s Test XI for Pune Test Against New Zealand

In a surprising move, India has recalled Washington Sundar to their Test squad for the second Test against New Zealand in Pune, marking his return to the Test team after a nearly three-year hiatus. Sundar last played a Test for India in March 2021 against England, where he scored an unbeaten 96 in Ahmedabad.

The decision to include Sundar was influenced by several factors, including his recent form in the Ranji Trophy. He scored a century against Delhi just last week, batting at No. 3 and scoring 152, which highlighted his batting prowess. Additionally, Sundar’s off-spin bowling has been impressive, with 29 wickets in red-ball games since his last Test appearance, including a five-wicket haul in England while playing for Lancashire in 2022.

India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, explained that Sundar’s inclusion was partly due to New Zealand’s strong presence of left-handers in their batting lineup. Gambhir noted that Sundar’s ability to take the ball away from left-handers could be a significant advantage. However, cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar criticized the decision, suggesting that it indicates panic from the team management and that Kuldeep Yadav, who can also turn the ball away from left-handers, would have been a better choice.

Sundar’s recall is also seen as a move to strengthen India’s lower-order batting, given his capability to contribute with the bat. Gavaskar pointed out that Sundar’s selection is more about his batting than his bowling, highlighting India’s concerns about their batting depth.

The second Test against New Zealand is crucial for India, who are trailing 0-1 in the series and need a win to maintain their 12-year unbeaten home record and keep their hopes alive for a third consecutive ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final appearance).