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Vol. XXVII No. 23, March 16-31, 2018
Destined for greater things
by V. Ramnarayan
Washington Sundar
Not often in the past has Tamil Nadu provided three or four Test, ODI or T20 aspirants knocking at the selectors’ doors at the same time. With R. Ashwin and M. Vijay an essential part of the Test squad for years now, the recent arrival of Washington S. Sundar and Vijay Shankar under the radar of the national selectors has been a happy and deserving development in the State’s cricketing fortunes, though it has occurred amidst poor performances by Tamil Nadu in the 50-over Vijay Hazare competition at the national level, coming on top of a none-too impressive showing in the Ranji Trophy.
Sundar and Vijay Shankar (MM, February 16th) are both all-rounders well suited to the abridged versions of cricket, and both have the IPL’s talent spotters to thank to some extent for their national recognition, besides their excellent record in the domestic first class scene as well as playing for India ‘A’.
James Velu, Napoleon Einstein, Xavier Thalaivan Sargunam. Unusual names figure in Tamil Nadu cricket through the decades. Add Washington Sundar to the list, and you have the most spectacularly successful name of all. For the all rounder answering to that name was recently pitchforked from relative obscurity to international recognition. True, the teenager from Chennai hit the headlines first in the IPL, thanks to the recommendation of Tamil Nadu coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar who saw potential in his Tamil Nadu T20 ward. This was in 2017, but Washington had represented India U-19 in the 2016 World Cup. Primarily a left-handed batsman then, he has since blossomed as an off-spinning all-rounder who impressed skipper Steve Smith at the Rising Supergiants, Pune.
The young all-rounder made his Ranji Trophy debut last year at Lahli, Himachal Pradesh. He bowled well, but did not get too many runs in his first season. He was not included in the Tamil Nadu team for the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, but was later picked for the Vijay Hazare and Deodhar Trophy (for South Zone) matches.
By now we all know Washington’s father M. Sundar was a competent cricketer of the TNCA league who named his son after an older friend who had been a mentor and virtual godfather to the boy. Like R. Ashwin, whom he replaced in the Pune XI when he was ruled unfit for the season, young Washington started out as a batsman but has proved to be a more than useful off spinner as well, with his lovely high arm action, remarkable accuracy and admirable temperament. For Pune, he bowled impressively when the skipper Steve Smith decided to allow him. He showed rare composure bowling in the powerplay overs, in fact opening the bowling, and helping his team enter the final.
Washington owes his progress as a bowler to a few coaches at the State and local levels. Playing for MRF Globe Trotters in the TNCA league, he has been mentored by M. Senthilnathan, the chief coach at the MRF Pace Foundation. Former India off- spinner M Venkataramana, Tamil Nadu’s spin bowling coach, has been a major influence on Washington’s bowling. His discipline and accuracy have made him a reliable bowler in domestic one-day and T20 action as well as the IPL. In the seond edition of the TNPL, he scored the fastest fifty, to be named the ‘Player of the tournament’.
He is as good in red ball cricket as he is in the white ball versions. On his Duleep Trophy debut, he took 11 wickets in the match besides scoring a fifty. His best first class performance has been his 159 against Tripura in last season’s Ranji Trophy tournament. He also bowled consistently well for Tamil Nadu.
The only glitch in Washington Sundar’s career so far was his failure to clear the so-called yo-yo test before the T20 series against the visiting Australians. He later passed the test and made it to the India T20 squad.
A neat, unfussy cricketer with steely determination, Washington Sundar seems destined for greater things.
