‘What exactly is the contribution?’ – Aakash Chopra questions Washington Sundar’s utilisation after 1st T20I

India lost the first T20I against Ireland at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast on Friday, June 26, by 34 runs. After the match, Aakash Chopra pointed out how the Indian team management is underutilising Washington Sundar’s batting abilities.

The former India opener urged the Gautam Gambhir-led Indian team management to assign a proper role to Sundar instead of just having him in the playing XI.

“What are we doing with Washi? We are playing him, but are not playing him. Giving a chance doesn’t mean just playing. Giving a chance means you are given proper overs, made to bat at a proper number, given a slightly bigger role, and the role should be clearly assigned. A player gets lost many times if the role is not clearly demarcated,” Chopra said.

“You are surprised to see that Washington Sundar has already played 61 matches and has batted only 26 times. He has scored 274 runs in total, has an average close to 16, and a strike rate close to 130. If he has gotten to bat 26 times in 61 matches, we say he can bat, but he doesn’t get a chance to do it, and in those 26 games, if you score slightly more than 250 runs, what exactly is the contribution?” he added.

The cricketer-turned-commentator noted that Sundar’s best performances with the bat came when he batted at No. 4 and No. 5 for the Gujarat Titans. However, those slots aren’t available in the Indian team. Chopra said that Sundar has to play the finisher’s role in the Indian team, and he doesn’t have the suitable power-hitting ability required for it.

“His best as a batter has come for the Gujarat Titans. He bats at No. 4 or No. 5 there, and suddenly you see the rise of Washington Sundar as a T20 player, but that has happened because of the Gujarat Titans, as they gave him that number. That number is not available for India,” the 48-year-old observed.

“Where we make him bat, from No. 6 to No. 9, that’s the role of a finisher. He is not a big striker like that. He is not a power hitter. He tries his best, but that is not his role. If you want his best, you will have to bat him up the order, and that place is not available at all,” he added.

“He bowls an average of less than 3 overs per match” – Aakash Chopra on Washington Sundar’s utilisation with the ball

Chopra pointed out that despite having good numbers as a bowler in T20I cricket, he doesn’t bowl too many overs per game.

“What about the bowling? He has taken 51 wickets in 61 matches, which is not bad, and the economy is also nearly seven, which is also great. The average is also decent, but he bowls an average of less than three overs per match. You don’t bowl him at all,” he said.

Sundar gave away 19 runs in his first over, which was the 16th over in the match, and Prasidh Krishna leaked 27 in the next one. Chopra believes that these two overs changed the course of the game.

“His first over was the 16th over of this match, and he was hit for 19 runs in that. 46 runs went in your two overs. Prasidh Krishna conceded 27 runs, and he conceded 19 runs. The game was different,” Chopra observed.