Ashwin Suggests Washington Sundar at No.3 Amid Injury Concerns Before 4th Test
As India prepares for the crucial fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, Manchester, senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has proposed a bold reshuffle in the batting order. With injuries shaking the squad, Ashwin suggested that if the team management believes in Washington Sundar’s batting abilities, he should be promoted to bat at No.3 ahead of Karun Nair.
India faces a selection dilemma after Nitish Kumar Reddy was ruled out for the remainder of the series due to a groin injury. Fast bowlers Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh are also under fitness clouds, with Akash Deep’s participation uncertain. His replacement could be uncapped pacer Anshul Kamboj.
In the absence of Reddy, India is re-evaluating its team composition. While Shardul Thakur may replace Reddy, his batting prowess does not match up, prompting Ashwin to suggest a more versatile lineup. “If you trust Sundar’s batting, let him play at No.3. It also allows Kuldeep Yadav to come in,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin also floated other options: bringing in Sai Sudharsan or Dhruv Jurel for batting depth, while sticking to a spin-heavy strategy with Ravindra Jadeja and Sundar offering support. He urged the team to consider playing a specialist batter instead of Shardul to keep the balance intact.
Washington Sundar, who has a first-class background as a top-order batter for Tamil Nadu and averages 38 in 11 Test matches, has demonstrated his technique and temperament under pressure—most recently during the Birmingham and Lord’s Tests.
As India trails 1-2 in the series and with Manchester being historically unfavorable territory for the visitors (0 wins in 9 Tests), bold selection calls may be the need of the hour to script a comeback.
