Washington Sundar is likely to be preferred as the spinner in the Indian team, overlooking the experienced duo of Ravichandran Ashwin And Ravindra Jadeja for the second BGT 2024-25 Test in Adelaide. India leads the five-Test series 1-0 with a 295-run win in the Perth Test.
India chose the youthful Washington Sundar for the first Test in Perth. Sundar was expected to be the third spinner picked after veterans Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, thus this came as a great surprise.
However, the team management ignored Ashwin and Jadeja’s extensive expertise and took a significant risk by playing Sundar. The only factor in Sundar’s advantage was his excellent form. He recently had a successful home series against New Zealand, in which he took the most wickets.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja likely to sit out for Washington Sundar
Times of India has reported that Indian team management is considering Washington Sundar to retain his spot as the lone spinner in India XI for the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. This Test is also the only day-night Test of the series and India is set to retain 4 pacers including all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.
“There’s a 90% chance that (Washington) Sundar will play in the second Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval,” a source in the BCCI was quoted as saying to TOI.
Washington Sundar is already regarded as the future leader of India’s spin-bowling assault in test cricket. The off-spinning allrounder took 2-48 in the second innings of the Perth Test and added 4 and 29 with the bat.
Sundar hit an undefeated 42 and took 1-38 in the pink-ball tour match against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra. He has demonstrated promising results with both bat and ball.
Ashwin and Jadeja have a lengthy history of contributing to Indian cricket. However, the selectors made a courageous choice by omitting both of them from the playing XI.
It’s unclear whether India will play more than one spinner in Adelaide. Traditionally, Adelaide has been beneficial to spinners; however, the pink ball has neutralized spinners, and India may once again rely on a sole spinner in the form of Sundar.
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