India’s two-match T20I tour of Ireland started with a shock 34-run defeat for the Men in Blue at Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast on Friday (June 26).
Chasing 183 to win, the visiting batting collapsed completely despite a fiery half-century by opener Abhishek, who scored 50 runs off just 20 balls. The remainder of the batting order crumbled under pressure, leaving the reigning world T20 champions all out for 148 in 18.5 overs.
This result has put Washington Sundar under severe scrutiny, and questions are being asked regarding the utility of the all-rounder in the shortest format.
Sundar bowled just one over in the series opener and conceded 19 runs, allowing Ireland to post a highly competitive total of 182 on the board after being reduced to 30/3 in the powerplay. To make matter worse, he managed to score only 9 runs off 12 balls.
After the game, legendary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin explicitly blamed the team management for a complete lack of "role clarity", emphasizing that if India intends to give Sundar a long rope, he must be utilized as a middle-overs floater rather than a finisher.
Furthermore, Ashwin asserted that Sundar needs to bowl his full four-over quota instead of single solitary overs.
"India got three wickets pretty early, and then it looked like the team took the pedal off the gas a little bit. The management has backed Washington Sundar a lot. His place seems set in the playing XI, but I feel his role is not there. He is always there on the field, but sometimes he gets just one over. Sometimes he doesn't get that over," said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
"If you remember the T20 World Cup, Axar Patel, who was the vice-captain, was dropped against South Africa, and Washington Sundar played in his place. In batting, Sundar is being used as a finisher, but he's not one. He should be used as a floater. It seems like a wrong role for him," he added.
"If you want to give him a long rope, then bring him onto the bowl as soon as the powerplay is done. You have to give him four overs. Axar always bowls, and Sundar should be the same. If you don't give him bowling, how will you find out whether he could be a dependable all-rounder or not?" asked Ashwin.
India will aim to bounce back and draw the series when they lock horns with Ireland in the second and final T20I on Sunday (June 28).
