Overview:
Sundar, coming in at No. 9 during India's second innings, added 34 runs off 42 balls in a key partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (53).
Irfan Pathan praised Washington Sundar for his contribution with the bat on Day 3 (Saturday, August 2) of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy fifth Test against England at London’s Kennington Oval.
Sundar, coming in at No. 9 during India’s second innings, added 34 runs off 42 balls in a key partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (53). However, Josh Tongue struck twice in quick succession, dismissing both Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj within four balls. At that point, Sundar, who was on 17 from 23 balls, changed his approach and took charge with Prasidh Krishna at the other end.
Taking control, Sundar launched a calculated attack on the English bowlers, reaching his fifty in just 39 balls. He went on to score a rapid 53 off 46 balls, smashing four fours and four sixes. His knock was instrumental in helping India post a total of 396 in their second innings, setting England a target of 374 runs.
Irfan Pathan reacted to Sundar’s performance by posting a video on his YouTube channel on Sunday, August 3. Pathan applauded Sundar’s aggressive innings and mentioned that those runs could prove vital in influencing the final result of the match.
“He capitalised on England’s short-ball strategy effectively. That’s the ideal way to approach batting with the tail. When you’re eight or nine wickets down, it’s essential to adopt an aggressive mindset. You don’t need to attack every delivery, but showing intent is key. Without it, runs won’t come,” Irfan Pathan said.
“Those final 50 or so runs could turn out to be extremely significant. Looking back tomorrow, we’ll realise just how crucial they were, not just for the score but also for the team’s morale. Reaching the 375-run mark was crucial, and those runs were Washington Sundar’s invaluable contribution,” Irfan Pathana added.
“Just take a look at his (Washi) batting average, it’s impressive. From the moment he joined the team, he has consistently amassed important runs. In the previous match, he rescued the game with a century. This time, he was trusted again and batted in different positions, which highlights his mental strength as a batter,” he added.