Legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh believes that the Indian cricket team is grooming Washington Sundar as a potential successor to Ravichandran Ashwin.
Sundar was the lone spinner in India’s playing XI during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener Australia in Perth. The decision to leave out seasoned campaigner like Ashwin surprised the experts and former cricketers, but Harbhajan sees this as a transition plan by the team management.
Ashwin is India’s second highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, claiming 536 wickets in 105 matches so far. He needs 84 more wickets to surpass the great Anil Kumle’s tally of 619 scalps to become India’s leading wicket-taker in the longest format.
"I think that's what their (team management and selectors') long term plan is. Ravichandran Ashwin has done a phenomenal job playing for India in taking all those wickets in his career," Harbhajan told PTI in an exclusive interview.
"But now that he is at that stage, at the age of 38, so that's why they have kept Washington Sundar with them (for) whenever R Ashwin will retire. The team thinks that they have to prepare Washington, so I think they are working on the same path," he added.
Harbhajan said India’s Perth Test win "doubled the joy" as it has been a happy hunting ground for the Aussies.
"It was (the) most important win for India because Perth has always been a very happy hunting ground for Australia," he remarked. "To beat them in their backyard is always very difficult, but this is a ground where the happiness of winning doubles because here they (Australia) consider themselves (to be) very strong at this venue."
“So, well done to team India, they played phenomenal cricket and I hope this will continue and India (would) go on to win this series 4-1.”
According to Harbhajan, another win in the series would put India on the path to the World Test Championship final. However, he stressed that simply reaching the final would not be enough this time around.
"If they win another game, I think India will definitely go into the WTC (final) but it's not important to reach there, it's important to win we will reach there," he said.
Harbhajan praised India's stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah for his match-winning spell in Perth Test. Bumrah claimed eight wickets in the match, including a five-wicket haul in Australia’s first innings.
"Bumrah is an amazing player, and of course, he has got a great mindset. I have been a huge supporter of Bumrah from Day One and he has got that very calm kind of personality," he said.
"He knows his game and he is one of those guys who is a very likeable person in the dressing room. He commands a lot of respect in the dressing room so when such a person leads you from the front, the team obviously follows," he added.
Harbhajan hoped India will build on the Perth triumph as they prepare for the next assignment in a day-night fixture at the Adelaide Oval, starting December 6.
"Now Rohit (Sharma) and Shubman (Gill) will be back so the team will become even stronger. It's so good to see Team India the way they have played and I hope they will continue the way they have been playing and go on to win a series there," he stated.
(With PTI Inputs)
