Sundar on India’s Test Collapse: ‘Execution Lacking’

Washington Sundar has called for a positive outlook from the Indian camp after a disappointing batting performance in the Guwahati Test against South Africa, which left them trailing by 314 runs after the first innings. Sundar, batting at No. 8, was India’s highest scorer with a valuable 48. He addressed the team’s struggles, particularly the dismissals of captain Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel while attempting aggressive shots. “Execution didn’t go the way we wanted,” Sundar admitted during the post-day media interaction, but he also defended the players’ intent, suggesting those shots could have been successful on another occasion. He stressed the importance of backing the team’s strategies and the proven abilities of the players. Sundar clarified that no specific run-rate or scoring goals were set for the innings, with the team aiming for a typical Test match approach. The hope was to bat deeply, allowing for strategic planning on subsequent days. Sundar also shared his personal philosophy on batting order flexibility, prioritizing team needs over individual preferences in the strategic landscape of Test cricket.