‘Not a desperate measure’ – Ryan ten Doeschate clears air on Washington Sundar’s inclusion in Test squad

Washington Sundar. (Source – Getty Images)

India lost the first Test in Bengaluru against New Zealand by eight wickets as they were bowled out for merely 46, their second-lowest total in the format, after opting to bat first. New Zealand then managed a hefty lead of 356 runs and despite a fightback, India could only muster a target of 107 runs for the visitors. After the loss, questions were raised about the decision to bat first and field three spinners on a pace-friendly pitch in overcast conditions.

After days of loss, India included bowling-allrounder Washington Sundar in their squad. Sundar is back in the Test squad after almost four years and the critics have termed the move as a desperate one following an unexpected loss at home. India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has addressed the sentiment, stating that Sundar is in the squad to tackle the New Zealand southpaws and take the ball away from them.

Also Read: Ryan Ten Doeschate provides update on Rishabh Pant’s injury

“We’ve had Washy around the white-ball squad for a while and [we] like the way he operates. And it’s also nice to see guys getting rewarded for Ranji Trophy performances as well. So hopefully that sends a good message out to the other guys and it’s certainly not a desperate measure. We’ve certainly got a lot of faith in the spinners that we have, and we just want to make sure we’re absolutely prepared for the conditions and if that does mean taking the ball away from the left-hander, we want that option,” said Doeschate as quoted by HT.

It is worth noting the young southpaw from New Zealand, Rachin Ravindra batted like he had no tomorrow in the first innings. He scored 134 runs off 157 balls as another leftie, Devon Conway scored 91 runs to spoil India’s case. It is understandable from India’s point of view that a right-arm spinner in the form of Sundar will come in handy.

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