Washington Sundar has been included in India’s squad for the remaining two Tests against New Zealand, a Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) said on Sunday on the sidelines of Delhi vs Tamil Nadu Ranji Trophy match. The development was officially confirmed by the BCCI on the same day when they released the updated squad for the remainder of the series vs New Zealand.
Sundar brought himself into contention after he slammed a century, his second after a gap of seven years, against Delhi on Saturday while batting at No. 3. Sundar has not played Test cricket in the past three years and will be hoping to get a chance to line up against the Kiwis in Pune.
India are trailing the 3-match Test series 0-1 after losing the first match against the BlackCaps by 8 wickets in Bengaluru.
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Squad Update: Washington Sundar added to squad for the second and third Test#INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBank
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It is understood that the selectors decided to include him on the request of the team management which wanted another finger spinner in the squad.
Despite R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel in the squad, a move to bring in Washington comes as a bit of surprise.
With India 0-1 down, and WTC points up for grabs, it would be interesting to see what sort of pitch the hosts opt for at Pune.
Rishabh Pant situation
Also, it is understood that there are no injury concerns as of now in the India set up. However, the situation surrounding Rishabh Pant is being closely monitored. There are deliberations whether to rest him for the second Test particularly after captain Rohit Sharma revealed that India have to be extra careful about handling Pant’s operated knee.
“He’s had a lot of minor surgeries and one big surgery on his knee and he went through a lot of trauma, to be honest, in the last one-and-a-half years,” Rohit said. “So it’s just about being extra careful, not just careful with him.”
When you’re keeping, you have to bend every ball with your knee going down and the wicket being what it was, we thought it is the right thing to do for him to stay inside and then get 100% ready for the next one.”
Although Pant batted in the second innings after taking a knock on his knee while keeping in the first innings, it was Dhruv Jurel who kept wickets.
With Australia tour being top of India’s priority list, the team management will take a call on Pant’s inclusion for the next Test.
Also, Baba Indrajith and Sai Sudharsan who scored a double century against Delhi, will also be included in the India A team set to travel to Down Under to play two four-day ‘Tests’ against the Australia A side from October 31-November 3 and then from November 7-10, the TNCA official added. They will leave after the Ranji game against Delhi.
India’s updated squad for the second and third Test against New Zealand: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Washington Sundar.
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