Sunil Gavaskar’s Stunning U-Turn On Washington Sundar Selection In Pune Test
Sunil Gavaskar’s stance took a surprising twist as he reversed his initial criticism regarding the selection of Washington Sundar over Kuldeep Yadav for the second Test against New Zealand.
Sunil Gavaskar, the renowned former Indian cricketer, expressed a change of heart by praising the decision to include Washington Sundar instead of Kuldeep Yadav for the second Test match against New Zealand. Initially critical of the ‘panic’ decision to bring in Sundar after India’s loss in the first Test match, Gavaskar was pleasantly surprised by the all-rounder’s exceptional performance. Sundar’s remarkable display, taking seven wickets and contributing significantly with both bat and ball, earned him accolades even from Gavaskar himself, who commended the selection as inspired during the commentary.
Gavaskar had reservations about India’s choice to implement three alterations to their starting lineup. The exclusion of KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj in favor of Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar, and Akash Deep for the second Test did not sit well with him.
Gavaskar, commenting on the team’s decision after the toss on Thursday, expressed his perception that Team India’s choice seemed somewhat hasty, considering they rarely make as many as 3 changes to the squad.
India find themselves behind in the three-match series, trailing 0-1 following their defeat in the inaugural Test by eight wickets just a week ago. Rohit Sharma and his team were dismissed for a mere 46 in the initial innings of the Bengaluru Test.
Gavaskar noted that teams rarely make three changes unless there are injury worries, emphasizing that the inclusion of Washington Sundar indicates concerns about their batting performance. He highlighted the importance of Sundar’s batting prowess in the lower order, stating that it provides a valuable cushion for the team.
Gavaskar mentioned that while there is much discussion surrounding the left-handers in the New Zealand batting lineup, he personally would have opted for Kuldeep Yadav, highlighting his ability to turn the ball away from left-handed batsmen.
