Washington Sundar justified his selection in the Indian XI for the ongoing second Test against New Zealand with career-best bowling figures. The match is being played at the MCA Stadium in Pune and saw New Zealand win the toss and choose to bat first.
India made three changes to their playing XI as Kuldeep Yadav, KL Rahul, and Mohammed Siraj were dropped and, in their places, Washington Sundar, Shubman Gill, and Akash Deep were selected.
Ravichandran Ashwin provided India's first three breakthroughs on day one of the second Test. He bowled New Zealand skipper Tom Latham LBW for 15 runs. Following Will Young's 44-run partnership with Devon Conway, Ashwin got Young caught behind by Rishabh Pant for 18 runs.
Finally, after a good tussle with Devon Conway, in which the Kiwi had the upper hand, Ashwin had him caught by Pant for 78.
However, after that, Rachin Ravindra (65) began tormenting Indian spinners, like he had in Bengaluru. That’s when Washington Sundar swung into action and ran through the middle and lower order of New Zealand.
He got rid of Ravindra for 65 and Daryl Mitchell for 18 runs. Then Mitchell Santner made 33 to take New Zealand to 259 in the end. But Sundar continued his demolition job, taking his and other wickets as well.
Washington Sundar finished with 7/59, his maiden Test fifer and career-best figures. R Ashwin picked 3/64.
At end of day one's play, India made 16/1 in 11 overs, with Rohit Sharma being the only batter dismissed, for a duck.
The cricket fraternity was very proud of the way Washington Sundar bowled as there was a lot of criticism over his selection of Kuldeep Yadav and Akshar Patel. However, Sundar proved his naysayers wrong and helped India bundle Kiwis out for a decent day one total.
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