All-rounder Washington Sundar expressed delight at his performance with the ball on Day 4 of the third Test against England, saying that picking up four wickets at a venue like Lord’s boosts his confidence as a Test cricketer. Sundar starred for India with a defining spell of 4 for 22 as England were bundled out for 192 in the second innings, after the first-innings scores were tied at 387 apiece.
He was picked ahead of specialist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, a decision that prompted considerable debate. Questions were raised about team selection when India opted for batting depth in Birmingham after failing to take 20 wickets in Leeds.
While Sundar silenced his doubters with vital contributions with the bat in Birmingham, at Lord’s, he proved he can be more than just a part-time spinner or sixth-bowling option. The off-spinner was introduced in the second session and tore through England’s middle order, claiming the prized scalps of Joe Root, Ben Stokes, and Jamie Smith.
Sundar’s figures of 4 for 22 were the best by an Indian spinner at Lord’s this century. The Gujarat Titans off-spinner kept it simple—targeting the stumps and letting the weary pitch do the work. The drift that deceived Stokes in Birmingham was on show again, as English batters, including the in-form Smith, misjudged the line against him.
“It definitely means a lot. I really wanted to do well in a place like England. I had certain plans coming into this Test, and Gautam Bhai (Gambhir) genuinely helped me work on them. To see those plans come together is very heartening,” Sundar said.
Without divulging specifics, Sundar credited Gambhir for helping him prepare for English conditions.
“Well, we still have three more weeks left in the series, so I probably shouldn’t give away too much! But I can say that the fact those plans worked, and I was able to execute what he asked me to do, feels really special,” he added.
Sundar’s guile and ability to vary his pace stood out. After being swept for a boundary by Ben Stokes, Sundar slowed it down to beat the England captain’s defence and tilt the final session in India’s favour.
“Definitely. After bowling six or seven overs, I thought I’d slow it down a bit, especially to Stokes. I wanted to change the pace slightly for a couple of overs and then go back to what I was doing earlier. It was a conscious decision—I just wanted to do whatever I thought would work against different batters, and thankfully, it worked out,” he said.
