Team India sprang a major surprise in their playing XI for the first Test against South Africa, naming Washington Sundar at No. 3 in an unorthodox combination. Left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan made way as the Men in Blue took the field at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, featuring four spinners and six bowling options overall.
**Bold Selection Choices by Team Management**
Team India skipper Shubman Gill had hinted during the pre-match press conference about the possibility of including another all-rounder in the XI. Rishabh Pant made his return to the side, replacing Nitish Kumar Reddy, while all-rounder Axar Patel slotted into the lower middle-order. This reshuffle saw Washington Sundar being pushed up to the crucial No. 3 batting position.
While India had the option to play a pure batter like Dhruv Jurel at No. 3, the official team sheet revealed that the spin all-rounder Sundar would instead occupy the top-order slot after the openers. This left many fans surprised, especially since Sai Sudharsan had been promised a long run at No. 3 and had chipped in with some important runs since his debut.
**Social Media Buzz Over Unexpected Change**
Fans flocked to social media to voice their reactions to this unexpected shuffle in India’s batting order. Many questioned the logic of moving away from a designated batter for a spin-bowling all-rounder in such a crucial match.
**Washington Sundar’s Previous Stints in the Top Order**
Washington Sundar is primarily known for his lower middle-order contributions with the bat across all formats for India. However, there have been rare occasions where he was deployed higher up in the order. Notably, he opened the batting alongside Rohit Sharma during the third ODI against Australia in Rajkot in 2023, although he managed only a sluggish 18 off 30 balls while chasing a tall target of 353 runs. Additionally, Sundar has batted as high as No. 4 in ODIs, accumulating 16 runs in two innings in that position.
**Day 1 Update: South Africa Bat First**
Despite his new assignment in the batting order, Sundar will have to wait for his chance, as South Africa elected to bat first after winning the toss on Day 1.
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*What do you think about Team India’s decision to promote Washington Sundar to No. 3? Share your thoughts in the comments below!*
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