The pitch in Sydney has a lot of grass cover, and surprisingly, India went in with two spinners Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja instead of an extra pacer in the fifth and final Test against Australia. The team management didn’t learn from the previous game in Melbourne, where the strategy of playing two spinners back-fired. Harshit Rana would have been handy at the SCG, but head coach Gautam Gambhir gave preference to Washington Sundar, who scored a fifty in the fourth game of the BCG 2024-25.
India surrendered the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia after losing the final Test match in Sydney. India lost the final game in just three and a half days after a terrible batting show in the final innings of the game. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar called out the team selection for the final Test after the conclusion of the series.
Washington Sundar’s overall performance in BGT 2024-25
Washington Sundar played 3 Test matches but bowled only 37 overs for India. The spin-bowling all-rounder picked up 3 wickets at an economy of 3.13. With the bat, Washington Sundar played a couple of gritty knocks and finished with 114 runs to his name. Washington Sundar hit a solitary fifty in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
After impressing during the home series against New Zealand, Washington Sundar was preferred over both Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja for the opening BGT 2024-25 Test in Perth. The 25-year-old Washington Sundar scored 4 & 29 and picked up two wickets in Australia’s second innings.
After missing the Day-Night Test in Adelaide and the rain-hit contest at The Gabba, he was recalled for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. Washington Sundar contributed a defiant 50 in the first innings but picked up only one wicket with his off-spin. In Sydney, Washington Sundar was out for 14 & 12 and was hardly needed with the ball.
Many had questioned the player’s selection during the series, as it always left the team one pacer short in the spicy Australian pitches. However, it was argued by the team management that India wanted to elongate their tail with the bat so that they could score crucial runs if the top order failed in the series.
Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has raised concerns over the role of all-rounders in Indian cricket, specifically questioning the all-round credentials of Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy. Sanjay Manjrekar argued that the true essence of an all-rounder is to excel in both batting and bowling. He compared their abilities to cricket legends, raising doubts about their impact on the team.
Sanjay Manjrekar slams Washington Sundar’s inclusion in India’s team combination for 5th BGT 2024-25 Test
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar questioned India’s team selection for the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Sydney. He termed all-rounder Washington Sundar’s inclusion in the playing XI a blunder on a grassy surface at the SCG that was tailor-made for fast bowlers.
India went down to Australia by six wickets in the Sydney Test on Sunday, January 5. Resuming their second innings on 141-6, they were bundled out for 157 as Scott Boland registered figures of 6-45. Chasing a target of 162, Australia lost three wickets for 58 runs. However, they eventually cruised home to victory in 27 overs.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo after the conclusion of the final BGT 2024-25 Test, Manjrekar opined that India got their team selection horribly wrong, particularly when it came to picking Sundar in the playing XI. He stated:
“It’s crazy when you think of an important place in that Indian Test XI in a marquee series. Barring that fifty, Washington Sundar hasn’t contributed with the bat much. I think he’s a highly talented bowler. But, he has a place when the pitch is turning overseas. And with Jadeja already there, Nitish Kumar Reddy as well, plus Washington Sundar as well. I thought his selection was a blunder on a pitch like this.”
The 59-year-old added that India did a much better job with team selection during their previous BGT tour Down Under by backing specialists to perform their role adeptly. He elaborated:
“The last two tours to Australia, India didn’t have a single player who was played because of his second skill. They always focused on his main skill and that was good enough to get him into the side. The other skill was a bonus. Here, I thought India went the England way, when England was not winning.”
Washington Sundar did not bowl a single over in India’s first innings in Sydney and only one in the second essay, which turned out to be the last over of the match. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja also sent down only three overs in the game.
In the past, all-rounders were certain picks in the team, having excelled in one of their disciplines while being competent in the other. Manjrekar’s issue lies with the fact that the current generation of all-rounders isn’t meeting these high standards consistently. He believes that India’s focus should shift back to finding genuine all-rounders who can contribute to both batting and bowling at the highest level.
Manjrekar’s comments have sparked a conversation about the current state of all-rounders in Indian cricket. While players like Ravindra Jadeja continue to live up to the all-rounder tag, others like Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy still have a long way to go. Manjrekar’s criticism highlights the need for Indian cricket to reassess the role of all-rounders in the team, highlighting the importance of excelling in both batting and bowling.