The BCCI has confirmed that Washington Sundar will join India’s squad for the final two Test matches against New Zealand. The all-rounder is set to link up with the team ahead of the second Test in Pune.
Sundar returns to the Test setup after a long break. It remains to be seen if he will get a game, given that Axar Patel, another all-rounder, has been on the bench lately. While Sundar has featured regularly in India’s white-ball teams, he hasn’t played a Test since March 2021. Earlier this year, he was called up as a replacement for the injured Ravindra Jadeja during the home series against England and is regarded as a future asset as a spin-bowling all-rounder. In a recent Ranji Trophy match against Delhi, Sundar impressed by scoring 152 at No. 3, marking his second first-class century.
New Zealand recently secured an eight-wicket victory in the first Test in Bengaluru, their first win in India since 1988. The second Test begins in Pune on October 24, with the final Test in Mumbai starting on November 1.
India squad for the second and third Tests against New Zealand: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (V-C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Washington Sundar.
