Cricket News: The curious case of Washington Sundar – India’s injury-prone spin bowling all-rounder

However, one of the biggest misses that probably wasn’t talked about enough was the fact that India’s sole spin-bowling all-rounder had an extremely underwhelming campaign. 

Axar Patel was picked as the man to replace Ravindra Jadeja, once the latter was ruled out with an injury, but it wasn’t exactly a like-for-like replacement – and it showed brutally during the World Cup. 

Axar Patel barely got to bat, but when he did, he was underwhelming. He also hardly bowled, mainly because when he did, the opposition was only too happy to target him. 

However, it’s safe to say that India’s hand was forced this time around not just by an injury to Ravindra Jadeja but also by the man they see as his first-choice backup – Washington Sundar. 

Washington Sundar has been in and around the India squad in ODIs and T20Is for some time now and has generally impressed whenever he’s played. 

Handy with the ball and best used in the powerplays while also being a decent power hitter with the bat – and crucially a southpaw too – he is the ideal option to replace Ravindra Jadeja in the short and long term. 

There’s only one small problem with this hypothesis – his record with injuries. 

Washington Sundar has had so many injuries at this point that it’s hard to keep count. But the amount of time he’s spent hurt on the sidelines has seriously impacted his game time for the Indian team. 

Just look at 2022 alone. He picked up an injury before the IPL and then two minor injuries during the tournament. 

To find a rhythm, he played domestic one-day cricket in England – but cruelly got injured during that stint too. 

He was then named in the Indian ODI squad for the three-match series against Zimbabwe just before the Asia Cup and played some games but missed the Asia Cup due to – you guessed it – another injury. 

It’s unfortunate for two reasons that he constantly gets injured. Not only does it hamper his long-term game time, but it also ensures that the Indian team begins to look at options beyond him. 

And that has begun to happen. Besides Axar Patel, there’s also the likes of Shahbaz Ahmed, who can fulfil the role of a spin bowling all-rounder, and he too is now part of the scheme of things. 

However, the fact that the Indian team continues to show faith in Washington Sundar means they believe in his abilities. And it is easy to understand why. 

He is a proven performer not just in the IPL but also at the international level and, unlike Axar Patel, he has generally been consistent when picked. 

The only thing working against him is his massive injury list – and how much of that is his fault is hard to ascertain. He’s undoubtedly a fit cricketer, but sometimes some bodies are more injury prone than others. 

Whether he can put his long spate of injuries behind him will determine his India future, as it is clear that the board sees him as the best long-term option for that role.