3 reasons why Washington Sundar must get a consistent run in Test cricket

While Nitish Kumar Reddy was India's hero on Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test against Australia on Saturday, December 28, Washington Sundar also played a crucial role in the visitors' fightback. Thanks to the duo's efforts, India recovered from a precarious 221-7 to reach 358-9 by stumps in response to Australia's first innings total of 474.

India had resumed their first innings on 164-5 but lost overnight batters Rishabh Pant (28) and Ravindra Jadeja (17) before they could make any significant contributions. Reddy (105* off 176) and Sundar (50 off 162), though, added 127 for the eighth wicket to lift the visitors.

While Reddy was undoubtedly the standout performer of the day, notching up his maiden Test ton, Sundar also made a hugely significant contribution to ensure that India didn't suffer a lower-order implosion. In the wake of India's fightback on Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test, we look at three reasons why Sundar must get a consistent run in Test cricket.

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#1 Sundar has delivered almost every time he has been given a chance

Sundar made his Test debut in January 2021 in the famous match against Australia in Brisbane. The ongoing clash in Melbourne is only his eighth Test for India. Over the last few years, he has been in and out of the side owing to various factors, ranging from team combinatios sto fitness issues.

However, one thing that has stood out about Sundar even in his stop-start Test career has been his consistency. He chipped in with four wickets and scored a crucial half-century on Test debut at The Gabba. In his very next Test, the left-hander scored an unbeaten 85 against England in Chennai and followed it up with an unbeaten 96 in Ahmedabad in the same series.

Washington Sundar celebrates a wicket during the Perth Test (Image Credits: Getty Images)

Then, playing his first Test in more than three years, Sundar claimed 11 wickets in the Test against New Zealand in Pune in October 2024. The 25-year-old followed it up with five wickets in the next Test of the series in at the Wankhede in Mumbai. In the ongoing Test series Down Under as well, he has made crucial contributions. Sundar just seems like someone who belongs to the big stage.

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#2 He is a great asset with the bat in the lower order

Lower-order contributions can often make or break a Test match. This is where Sundar could be a great asset to the Indian team. The Tamil Nadu cricketer seems to enjoy bailing the team out of trouble, which is a proof of his great temperament.

In his very first Test in Brisbane, India were tottering at 186-6 in response to Australia's first innings total of 336. The left-hander shared an iconic 123-run stand with Shardul Thakur (67) for the seventh wicket, contributing 62 off 144. In the home Test series against England in 2021 as well, Sundar played hugely significant knocks to lift India from poor starts.

On Saturday at the MCG, he had walked into bat with India in all sorts of trouble at 221-7, responding to Australia's big first innings total of 474. The visitors were in danger of being bowled out for under 250, which could have given the Aussies a potentially match-winning lead. However, Sundar faced 162 balls and defied the Australians in the company of Reddy, bringing India back in the contest.

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#3 With Ashwin now retired, Sundar must be backed as India's off spin option

Until Ravichandran Ashwin was part of the Test team, he was undoubtedly the No. 1 choice as off spinner, especially in home conditions. However, with the legend having announced his retirement, Sundar should be the preferred off-spinner in the Indian playing XI. The 11 wickets he took in Pune against the Kiwis, outshining Ashwin, could be considered a symbolic passing of the baton.

Of course, there's no comparison between Ashwin and Sundar when it comes to bowling in Test cricket. Ashwin is head and shoulders above Sundar, who's still very much in the early stages of his career. However, the advantage with Sundar is that he has the ability to be picked as the frontline slow bowler overseas, ahead of Jadeja, in case India decide to go in with only one spinner.