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Former India national cricket team opener Wasim Jaffer has questioned Washington Sundar’s role in India’s T20I setup after another disappointing performance in India’s nine-wicket defeat to the England national cricket team in the fourth T20I in Bristol.
While India’s bowling attack came under immense pressure as England chased down the target of 159 runs in just 13.5 overs, Wasim. Jaffer said he is confused about where Washington Sundar fits into the team’s plans, arguing that the all-rounder neither has a clearly defined batting role nor the ability to bowl a full quota of overs consistently.
Wasim Jaffer’s comments came after he scored just five runs off eight balls before conceding 19 runs in the only over bowled by Washington Sundar as England took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series with one match still in hand.
Wasim Jaffer believes Washington Sundar has no defined role in India’s T20I XI
Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former India cricketer admitted that Sundar’s frequent selection in the T20I team has left him perplexed as he cannot identify a definite role for the all-rounder.
“I have said this before. The selection of Washington Sundar surprises me. First of all, I don’t understand how he fits into India’s T20I team. As a finisher, you can’t really play him in that role, and he doesn’t even have a place in the top order. That’s the first issue. Secondly, he is not the kind of bowler who can give you four overs in a row. So, his selection really surprises me,” Wasim Jaffer said.
Criticism of the domestic cricket legend focused on the clarity of the role rather than Washington Sundar’s ability. According to Wasim Jaffer, the team management has not found a situation where the 26-year-old can consistently impact the game with bat or ball.
How India has used Washington Sundar during the England series
India’s handling of Sundar during the ongoing England series certainly explains why his role has become a topic of discussion.
In the fourth T20I at Bristol, he came in at number 7 after the dismissal of Tilak Verma, scoring five runs from eight balls and was dismissed in the final over. With the ball, he bowled only one over, conceding 19 runs, as captain Shreyas Iyer relied mainly on the pace attack as England reached the target.
His role in the opening T20I against Ireland was similarly limited, where he remained unbeaten on nine runs before bowling only one over, also scoring 19 runs.
In all those matches, Washington Sundar was neither trusted to complete his four-over spells nor was he assigned a fixed batting position capable of maximizing his batting strengths. Instead, he has been used largely as a floating all-rounder, contributing short spells with both bat and ball.
That inconsistent usage gives additional context to Wasim Jaffer’s argument that India’s T20I team still lacks a clearly defined role for the off-spinning all-rounder.
Wasim Jaffer wants India to rethink spin attack if Varun Chakravarthy remains unavailable
Jaffer also believes that India need to re-evaluate their spin combination if Varun Chakravarthy remains unavailable after missing the fourth T20I due to a hamstring injury.
He suggested that Kuldeep Yadav should come back into contention, and also mentioned Sunrisers Hyderabad wrist spinner Shivang Kumar as another attacking option.
“In the spin department, when Varun is not playing, I think we need to consider Kuldeep Yadav or someone else. As we discussed earlier, Shivang Kumar is another wrist-spin option we have. We need to find someone because you need two spinners in the middle overs who can take wickets and create pressure together. Right now, it seems we don’t have that at all,” said Wasim Jaffer.
Instead of relying on stopping runs, Wasim Jaffer believes India need a pair of aggressive spinners who are capable of taking wickets in the middle overs and creating sustained pressure.
Why Wasim Jaffer also raised questions on India’s fast bowling options
The former India opener criticized India’s pace attack, highlighting concerns over Prasidh Krishna’s recent economy rate, while expressing surprise that Mohammed Siraj is not part of the T20I squad.
He also urged the selectors to consider emerging fast bowlers like Rasikh Salaam and Shakib Hussain as India look for a more balanced bowling attack.
“Our bowling has also been a matter of concern. Prasidh Krishna has been expensive in recent times. I don’t understand why Mohammed Siraj is not in the team. Also, we have talked about Shakib Hussain, who did well in the IPL. Rasikh Salaam is also there.”
How India’s bowling combination could look like in the fifth T20I
India now have one last opportunity to experiment before the series ends in Southampton. If Varun Chakravarthy is still unavailable, the team management will need to decide whether to stick with Washington Sundar, introduce Ravi Bishnoi to add a wicket-taking wrist-spin option, or strengthen the attack with an additional seamer.
With Harshit Rana out due to injury and Prasidh Krishna enduring an inconsistent series, India’s bowling combination is likely to be under close scrutiny. The management will also have to decide whether Sundar’s all-round value outweighs the need for a specialist wicket-taking spinner in the middle overs.
The fifth T20I will therefore provide an opportunity for India to answer many of the concerns raised by Jaffer before focusing on the next phase of their T20I plans.
