Cheteshwar Pujara advocated for Washington Sundar: After a crushing 10-wicket defeat to Australia in Adelaide, India’s hopes of a comeback in the third Test in Brisbane have come into focus. With the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series tied at 1-1, things have changed more rapidly, and veteran batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has suggested a significant change in the playing eleven. Pujara advocated the inclusion of Washington Sundar in place of Ravichandran Ashwin to strengthen India’s batting depth and gain control in the crucial series.
Pujara’s recommendation comes after Ashwin’s disappointing performance in Adelaide, where he took figures of 1/53 in 18 overs despite Ashwin being one of India’s most experienced bowlers. Pujara believes that the team may need Sundar’s all-rounder abilities to overcome their recent batting struggles.
Pujara said on Star Sports, “I think there can be only one change. Since the batting was not good, Washington Sundar can be included in place of R Ashwin. Should anyone else be included in place of Harshit Rana? Should? In my opinion, no. You supported him and he performed well in the first match.
Sundar, who played a key role in India’s memorable Brisbane win in 2021, brings both a reliable off-spin option and a strong lower-order batting option. With Sundar, India can lengthen its batting lineup without compromising its bowling attack. He was part of India’s 295-run win in the first match of the series in Perth. He took two wickets and contributed 33 runs in the match before making way for Ashwin in Adelaide.
While some have questioned the performance of fast bowler Harshit Rana after giving away 86 runs in 16 overs in Adelaide, Pujara strongly defended the young bowler. Rana, who impressed with a spell of 3/48 on debut in Perth, is seen as a valuable asset despite his recent struggles. He said, “He is a good bowler. You cannot remove him just because one match was bad. If the team feels that there is a need to strengthen the batting lineup, then probably the only change for me would be to replace Ashwin with Sundar.” will be.”
Rana’s ability to extract pace and bounce makes him an attractive option for the Brisbane pitch, which is known for its lively nature. India’s defeat in Adelaide has also dealt a blow to their hopes of final qualification for the World Test Championship. Currently ranked third with 57.29 points percentage, India faces a tough challenge. To secure their place in the final, they will have to win the series by a margin of 3-1 or 4-1. Meanwhile, Australia is in second place with 60.71 marks percentage, while South Africa is on top with 63.33 marks percentage.
