“Oh Washington Sundar!” This is the exact feeling among cricket fans irrespective of their nationality as the Tamil Nadu off-spin all-rounder missed his hundred for the second time in his career.
After having been left stranded for 85 in the first innings of the first Test in Chennai, Washington Sundar fell four runs short of what would bave been his maiden Test hundted as Team India lost its all last three wickets within a space of five balls on the third afternoon.
Washington Sundar and Axar Patel played brilliantly during the morning session as they extended India’s lead from 89 to 160. Washington started from where he had left on the second evening as he went about his business in his merry way. He was particularly brutal against the English spinners as he cut, drove, and chipped down the track with precision.
The Tamil Nadu cricketer was ably supported by Axar Patel, who played some gorgeous strokes during his knock of 43. However, just as it looked like Washington Sundar would go on to make his maiden Test hundred, Axar Patel’s run-out triggered a collapse as India lost their last three wickets within a space of five deliveries.
Axar Patel was run-out at the non-striker’s end after he went for a non-existent run in the 114th over. Ben Stokes then proceeded to do the rest as he trapped Ishant Sharma plumb in front before knocking over Mohammed Siraj with a straight-seamer.
Washington Sundar was left stranded for 96 and it was disappointing to see him not get a hundred despite having played so brilliantly throughout his knock.
Sundar had come into bat when India were in a spot of bother after having been reduced to 6/146. The southpaw played patiently initially before he displayed his full repetoirs of strokes; the best of them being the backfoot punch and cover-drives he played against seamers.
More than his own runs, it was the crucial hundred-run partnerships that Washington Sundar stitched with both Rishabh Pant and then Axar Patel that paved way for India to take a 160-run lead which will be the true legacy of this knock.
Needless to say, Twitter was disappointed in seeing Washington Sundar miss out on his maiden Test ton.
Here’s how it reacted:
Oh @Sundarwashi5, wasn't to be but very well played. There will be more centuries. It was batting of the highest class.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 6, 2021
First Test Match hundreds are so special for any player ?
Watching @Sundarwashi5 miss out on a deserved ? is disappointing for sure but the way he has played suggests he will have many more opportunities in the years to come ? Well played Washi
.#INDvsENG #rcb— Mike Hesson (@CoachHesson) March 6, 2021
Feel sad for this young man @Sundarwashi5 deserved 100 #INDvsENG
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) March 6, 2021
Mann you gotta feel sad for washi 🙁
What a well deserved hundred it would have been. #INDvsENG @Sundarwashi5— Jagadeesan (@Jagadeesan_200) March 6, 2021
Feel for you @Sundarwashi5 ! Keep batting like this & you are going to score a lot of tons in test cricket! A superb match winning knock for #TeamIndia ! #INDvsENG #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/vQeuk5Ox2I
— Kris Srikkanth (@KrisSrikkanth) March 6, 2021
at this point in their careers, sundar and gill have the same number of half centuries #INDvsENG
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) March 6, 2021
#WashingtonSundar didn’t get the milestone , but captured the hearts of Indians with his beautiful batting. He will get lots of opportunities now to score more centuries in future @Sundarwashi5 #INDvsENG
— Sathish Kumar M (@sathishmsk) March 6, 2021
Hatsoff @Sundarwashi5 ?? 96*(174). UNFORTUNATELY STRANDED without partners in the end?
IND 365 AO!
After #Pant's audacious heroics, #WashingtonSundar silently went about his job & deserved a century! Sad.. 106 runs partnership with his spin partner #AxarPatel (43)#INDvsENG
— Kaushik LM (@LMKMovieManiac) March 6, 2021
You have to feel for Washington Sundar. You have to.
— Abhishek Mukherjee (@SachinAzharCT) (@ovshake42) March 6, 2021
Oh dear @Sundarwashi5 ??♂️??♂️ how unlucky is that .. what a brilliant knock #indveng 3 wickets in 5 balls and he didn’t get to face a single delivery .. this guys knows to make tough runs ???
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) March 6, 2021
A maiden test ton painfully eludes Sundar as 3 quick wickets see ?? getting bowled out for 365, a healthy lead of 160 in the bag.
He ends the innings at 96* ?#INDvENG #Test #Cricket pic.twitter.com/BWIGYLnipS
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 6, 2021
Deserved a hundred ?#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/DRiW0EEMXG
— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) March 6, 2021
A shame Siraj and Ishant didn't offer to carry Washington up the stairs there.
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) March 6, 2021
Washington Sundar's father to Axar, Ishant and Siraj. pic.twitter.com/68EvldN0Q5
— Abijit Ganguly (@AbijitG) March 6, 2021
Washington Sundar's dad right now pic.twitter.com/YkjkB6BBF0
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) March 6, 2021
Uh, oh, #WashingtonSundar stranded on 96. What a travesty. Had played superbly
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 6, 2021
Washington Sundar's Dad right now !! pic.twitter.com/KuG3UkOioN
— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) March 6, 2021
Feel for Washington Sundar, unbeaten on 96 from 174 balls including 10 fours and 1 six – missed out his maiden hundred by 4 runs as India has been all-out for 365 runs in first innings. Painful end to a great knock under pressure. pic.twitter.com/UyKeBAVRfM
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 6, 2021