IND v WI 2022: Washington Sundar says his aim was to improve as a cricketer while being away from the game

Sundar played a key role in India's emphatic six-wicket victory over West Indies in the first ODI.

By Salman Anjum - 07 Feb, 2022

Washington Sundar on Sunday (February 6) made a stunning comeback to the Indian team after an injury as he played a key role in the hosts’ emphatic six-wicket victory over West Indies in the first ODI at Ahmedabad.

Sundar returned with the figures of 3/30 in his 9 overs to help India bundle out the visitors for a paltry 176 in 43.5 overs. Later on, Rohit Sharma and his men chased down the target with 122 balls to spare.

See Also: “We ticked all boxes”, Rohit Sharma pleased with India’s clinical outing in 1st ODI

Speaking after the game, Sundar reflected on his painful five months away from the game, revealing that he used the time off to get better as a cricketer as that was all he could control.

“There were a lot of challenges but I just wanted to do what I could do to improve myself as a cricketer. That’s all that’s in my control and I was only focussing on that,” he said at the post-match press conference.

While he was recovering from the finger injury, Sundar had to miss the T20 World Cup in UAE and then COVID-19 played spoilsport when he was about to board the flight to South Africa.

“Yes, there will always be challenges, that’s something that I have realised especially in the last couple of years.

“But what matters is how I push myself, keep getting better at the aspects that I want to and keep improving myself. I’ve tried to focus on it,” the off-spinner elaborated.

Washington Sundar is now focusing on the upcoming two ICC events – T20 World Cup later this year and the ODI World Cup in 2023.

“It was very very disappointing to have lost out on a chance to play the World Cup. But yes, there are two World Cups in the next 15-16 months, so that should be my focus.”

Now that he is back, Sundar knows that more games that he plays, better and sharper he will become.

“More than anything, I have always wanted to be in the present and keep getting better as a cricketer.

“If I do that, there would be a lot of opportunities and also the fact that I would be able to perform a lot better. I have loved to stay in the present and enjoy the game,” he added.

Talking about his bowling in the ODI series opener, Washington said: “I was just bowling to my strength and of course we had some plans for their batsmen. We just wanted to execute the plans and it was heartening to get off. I am happy that I could bowl to my strengths.”

He bowled early in the power-play and acknowledged that the experience of Vijay Hazare Trophy helped him.

“That’s something I have been doing for the last few years. I enjoy bowling in the Powerplay now. Even the fact that I played Vijay Hazare, that helped me bowl in different situations of the game.

“Even there, I bowled a lot with the new ball. All those experiences have definitely helped,” he concluded.

(With PTI inputs)

By Salman Anjum - 07 Feb, 2022

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