If one has been watching the India vs England 4th Test, one’d almost feel like Shubman Gill has a vendetta against Washington Sundar. That, or perhaps he had left his brain in the dressing room when he came out to captain India on the third day in Manchester.
Gill’s baffling decisions
On the second day, India had already bowled 46 overs, and England had scored 225 runs for the loss of two wickets. The run rate was over 5 for the most part; it was the dismissals of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett that slowed things down a bit.
It was Ravindra Jadeja who got Crawley’s wicket in the 32nd over. That was the first scalp. Yet, Washington wasn’t given the ball. There was a hint of turn, and English batters had struggled against Sundar. He had gotten the wickets Ben Stokes, Jamie Smith, and Joe Root‘s wicket in the second innings at Lord’s.
Washington wasn’t given an over. One could understand that the pitch was aiding the fast bowler. But even Jadeja bowled 8 of the 46 overs. But that wasn’t all. Washington didn’t bowl a single ball until the 69th over. The decision to play 3 all-rounders was to ensure neither the batting nor the bowling suffers.
Washington Sundar responds to snub with wickets
But Shardul Thakur bowled only 6 overs, the last of which was the 47th over. When Washington was brought in, it wasn’t for wickets but to keep things tight for the new ball, which was available in 11 overs. On his 25th ball, Washington got a wicket.
His beautiful drift was at it again, and he got Pope, who was batting on 71. The last wicket had fallen 38 overs ago. But Washington wasn’t done. On his 37th ball, he got Brook stumped. Again with his drift. Everyone was shocked, not because Washington had gotten another wicket, but as to why Gill hadn’t brought him on.
No one actually knows. What’s certain is that Gill doesn’t exactly know what he’s doing. He’s playing 6 bowlers, two of whom had bowled just 6 overs out of 69. This doesn’t make any sense. If he didn’t wish to use either Washington or Shardul’s bowling, why are they playing? Isn’t it better to play one proper batter and one proper bowler? Why was Washington, you best spinner of the series, brought on when England were 305/2?
Maybe Gill will answer these questions once the match is over. It won’t matter, though, because it’ll probably be too late.
