I Always Tell Him That He Is A Once In A Century Cricketer: Washington Sundar's Father Opens Up Following His Son's Stellar Test Debut In Brisbane

Indian off-spin all-rounder Washington Sundar might not have played a First-Class game since 2017 but the youngster, on his Test debut against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane, showed just why he is so highly rated in the Indian cricketing circle.

Coming in as a replacement for the injured Ravichandran Ashwin, Washington Sundar had a dream start to his Test career. The off-spinner claimed four crucial wickets across the two innings including that of Steve Smith and David Warner besides showcasing his batting credentials to the hilt with match-defining scores of 62 and 22.

And, as expected, his father is chuffed to bits with his son’s showing at the ‘Gabbatoir’. In an exclusive interview with the Indian Express, Washington Sundar’s father revealed that the Tamil Nadu off-spinner has been serious about his game since he was five-years-old.

“Washington is a blessed child. We call him Gnana Kuzhanthai (wise child). He started taking cricket seriously when he was five years old. Even if it were a tennis ball game, he would play that very seriously,” Washington Sundar’s father said.

“Imagine bowling to the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and David Warner at 17 years of age, and that too the very first over in the game. His mental strength at that age was remarkable. It was all god’s blessings,” he added.

‘He will become a fine all-rounder like Kapil Dev’- Washington Sundar’s father

His father further added that he always tells Washington that he is a ‘once in a century cricketer’ and that he will soon become a fine all-rounder in the mould of the legendary Kapil Dev.

“Washington is now playing all three formats, and we are happy about it. I always tell him that he is a special talent — a once in a century cricketer. He will become a fine all-rounder like Kapil Dev,” M Sundar said.

Washington Sundar made his debut for India in a One-day International back in 2017 at the age of 18 and while that remains his only appearance in that format, he has established himself as a vital member of the Indian T20I squad, having played as many 26 games since his debut.

The all-rounder has been picked for the upcoming four-match Test series against England, which starts at his home ground- M.A Chidambaram Stadium- in Chennai from February 05.

Also Read: How The ‘Gabbatoir’ Breach Helped A Billion Team India Fans Exorcise The Demons Of The 4th Innings Run-Chase