MOHALI: It might seem unusual that the Indian team which showed an inclination towards wrist-spinners since the Champions Trophy, is once again looking at finger-spinners. With Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal becoming integral parts of the limited-over set-up, one thought the selectors were no more in favour of finger spinners. The omission of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin for white ball cricket lend credence to such thoughts, despite the presence of Axar Patel in the squad.
For the Sri Lanka series, Kuldeep, Chahal and Patel were the chosen ones in the spin department. But with a hamstring injury ruling out Kedar Jadhav, bringing in Washington Sundar bears evidence of forward thinking. India’s middle-order has rarely been as fragile as this one and the thought of ‘what if we don’t find a solution' is making the think tank look at other options. This team management likes multi-faceted cricketers, it doesn’t matter what they bowl. As long as it brings flexibility and provides balance to the side, chances of moving up the pecking order are bright. Hardik Pandya’s is a case in point.
With the series very much at stake in the second ODI in Mohali on Wednesday, India after the Dharamsala debacle are already looking at making changes in the side. Captain Rohit Sharma termed it a wake-up call, particularly the manner in which the middle-order went about the job after losing two quick wickets. With the ball darting around, they seemed to have only Plan A – defend. None of them tried to break the shackles and apart from Shikhar Dhawan at the top, there is no left-hander to make the opposition think differently.
This is perhaps why Washington, a left-handed batsman and off-spinner, is getting ready for ODI debut. Like Pandya, Washington doesn’t boast of big numbers in the domestic circuit. But like Pandya, he is seen as a sort of player who can make an impact with bat and ball; one who can be used anywhere in the batting order. His spin can be used at various stages of the innings, as he has shown in the IPL even when operating with the new ball in power play overs. That he is a left-handed batsman has also worked in his advantage. In the absence of Jadhav, who is often used as a fall-back option with the ball, Washington can be counted to bowl his quota of 10 overs.
“I think I definitely need to be ready to bowl my 10 overs of off-spin and also be ready to contribute with the bat. No matter what position our team is in, I need to be ready to contribute, no matter where I am going to play. I want to bat wherever my team wants me to bat. That is the kind of batsman I want to be talked about as. So yeah, I should be able to fill in the boots the management wants me to and I hope I will be able to do so,” Washington said on Tuesday, confidence brimming all over his face.
Having impressed the selectors during Duleep Trophy, he was very much in line to be part of the squad for the series against Australia or New Zealand, but failure to crack the Yo-Yo test set by the team management meant his call-up was delayed. The India cap has been Washington’s ultimate dream. Weather permitting in Mohali, he should take the field wearing that No 55 on his back.