Washington Sundar got his first Taste of international cricket as he made his ODI and T20 I debut against Sri Lanka in the recently completed limited-overs series against Sri Lanka. Now he is eying bigger success and consistency at the international level, finally having made his breakthrough.

“For someone of my age, walking out for India and sharing the dressing room with the likes of M.S. Dhoni and so many others was a dream come true,” said the off-spinning all-rounder to Sportstar here on Monday.

The Indian team, he said, was welcoming. “They put me at ease. Shastri Sir kept telling me to believe in myself. Bowling coach B. Arun Sir wanted me to play my natural game and Rohit Sharma showed a lot of faith in me.

 “I was delighted to be playing for India on Christmas eve,” said Washington Sundar even as he dedicated his Twenty20 International debut to the late P.D. Washington, an army-man who gave much-needed financial and emotional support to his father M. Sundar.

Washington added, “We are Hindus but have a Christmas tree with stars in our house during this time every year during as a mark of respect to a man who had helped my father so much.”

Having missed the final T20I in Vizag, he said he was gutted to miss out. “I was gutted, couldn’t even go to the ground with the team. I had always loved bowling at Vizag, I missed out this time and have to take these things in my stride.”

Sundar is now opting to stay in the team besides playing domestic cricket as well.