Former England skipper Nasser Hussain expressed his surprise at Washington Sundar being introduced so late on Day 3 of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manchester. Hussain, reflecting on Sundar’s impressive showing at Lord’s, remarked that it’s rare to see a spinner get the kind of drift the young off-spinner managed in English conditions.
At a time when England were comfortably placed at 305/2 and trailing by just 53 runs, Sundar was not brought into the attack until the 69th over, under the captaincy of Shubman Gill. India failed to pick up any wickets in the morning session, but Sundar made an impact soon after lunch, dismissing Ollie Pope for 71 in just his second over.
He then sent back Harry Brook for 3 in his seventh, helping India claw their way back into the game. In his column for The Daily Mail, the 57-year-old Hussain opined that Sundar should have been brought on to bowl as early as post-tea on Day 2.
“Ben Stokes got his five-for from the Brian Statham End, where there is extra bounce, yet Jasprit Bumrah did most of his bowling from Sir James Anderson end. Then, when the sun did come out after tea on day two and the pitch did get flatter, they completely overlooked bowling Washington Sundar, not turning to him until the 69th over when England were 305 for two.”
Hussain Impressed By Sundar’s Confident Display In Manchester Test
Nasser Hussain noted that Washington Sundar carried the confidence from his performance at Lord’s into the Old Trafford Test, adding that the off-spinner bowled brilliantly.
“It was astonishing. You could tell he was full of confidence by the way he spoke so boldly about winning at Lord’s, after taking four wickets, and I haven’t seen a spin bowler in England get such beautiful drift, even against the wind. He made an impact, the moment he was introduced to the attack, getting Ollie Pope and Harry Brook in quick succession, leaving you wondering: where he’s been?'”
The spin-bowling all-rounder emerged as the standout performer with the ball for India in England’s second innings of the third Test at Lord’s. On a surface that offered little support for spinners, he delivered an impressive spell, finishing with figures of 4 for 22 in 12 overs, including the key wickets of Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, and Shoaib Bashir.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
