New Delhi: Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar credited head coach Gautam Gambhir for helping him understand his batting potential. Sundar scored a match-winning half-century in India’s six-wicket win over England in the first ODI on Tuesday at Edgbaston.
The all-rounder walked into bat at No. 5 after captain Shubman Gill retired hurt on 80, while the Men in Blue still needed 110 runs to chase down a 259-run target. He scored an unbeaten 52, forging a crucial unbeaten 125-run partnership for the fifth wicket along with Axar Patel.
The 26-year-old has faced the challenge of batting in different positions in different formats. In the T20Is, Sundar has often batted as a finisher, while he has batted at No.4 in Test cricket. In the first ODI against England, Sundar again adapted a new role in batting order, producing a match-winning performance coming down at No.5.
“The fact that I play different roles is exciting. Not many people get to play different roles. I get to play those different roles and be in those different situations. Obviously, try my best to help the team win. As I said, it is exciting to be in different situations and different phases of the game,” the all-rounder said.
‘It is really important to keep looking to improve every single day’The 26-year-old said that Gautam Gambhir has helped him understand his potential with the bat. He also acknowledged Ashish Nehra’s role for his development both as a cricketer and a person.
“Gauti bhai always made me understand what exactly I could do with the bat, especially, and made me understand my game as well. Even Ashish Nehra at GT has always made sure… he has helped me understand myself a lot more, be it as a person or as a cricketer on the whole,” Sundar said.
“As an all-rounder, I think it is really important to keep looking to improve every single day, understand my game and, obviously, play according to the situation. Playing a lot of games also helps. You get to be in those situations, understand what exactly you can do, and you have a lot of learning as well,” he added.
India will face England in the second ODI at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Thursday, July 16.
Curated by Shriti Mazumdar
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