Sundar’s Manchester heroics reignite debate on India’s selection policy
Washington Sundar’s match-saving century at Old Trafford may have rescued India from the jaws of defeat, but it did little to silence questions around his place in the side — particularly from his father, M Sundar, who launched a blistering attack on both the BCCI selectors and Gujarat Titans management for their inconsistent handling of the 25-year-old all-rounder.
Speaking to The Times of India, M Sundar said, “Washington has been doing very well consistently. However, people tend to avoid and forget his performances. Other players get regular chances, only my son doesn’t get them.”
Despite his standout performances — including a crucial unbeaten 85 in Chennai and a 96* in Ahmedabad during England’s tour of India in 2021 — Sundar has struggled to secure a consistent run in the national setup.
“My son gets dropped even if he fails in just one or two matches. It is not fair. Washington scored an unbeaten 85 on a rank turner in Chennai against England back in 2021 and 96* against the same opposition in Ahmedabad during the same year,” his father added.
M Sundar believes that the lack of consistent opportunities is not performance-driven but systemic: “He would have been dropped even if those two knocks had ended up in centuries. Has this kind of an approach been maintained for any other Indian cricketer? He has become very strong after all this, and the result is the performance which people are witnessing now.”
Gujarat Titans also come under fire
The frustration isn’t limited to the Indian team. M Sundar also targeted Gujarat Titans, Washington’s IPL franchise, for not giving him a prolonged run.
“Even his current team Gujarat Titans don’t give him regular chances. He showcased his calibre in the IPL 2025 Eliminator against Mumbai Indians (MI), smashing 48 off 24 balls,” he said.
Drawing comparisons with other young stars who have received greater backing, he added, “Look at the way Yashasvi Jaiswal has been backed by RR. Washington hasn’t been able to enjoy a consistent run even in case of domestic cricket.”
He urged the selectors to be more objective in their evaluations and give his son a fair shot: “Washington should consistently bat at number five like he did in the second innings of the fourth Test and get five to ten straight chances. My son was surprisingly not picked for the first Test against England. The selectors should watch his performances.”
Gavaskar questions Shubman Gill’s authority over team selection
The team’s decision-making has also come under intense scrutiny, particularly surrounding the omission of Kuldeep Yadav in the Manchester Test.
Sunil Gavaskar, speaking on the Sony Sports Network broadcast, didn’t mince words: “At the end of the day, it is the captain’s team.”
“You can’t say that he didn’t want somebody like, in Shardul Thakur’s case or Kuldeep Yadav’s case, that he didn’t want them, maybe Shubman didn’t want Shardul in the team and wanted Kuldeep,” he added.
Gavaskar questioned whether Gill truly has the final say: “He should have had him in the team. He is the captain. People are going to talk about him and his captaincy out there. So, it’s got to be his call really.”
The India legend hinted at internal dynamics being swept under the rug for the sake of appearances: “I know that for the sake of showing everything is honky dory, these things might not come out. Fact is that the captain is responsible. He is the one who is going to be leading the XI players. Simple as that.”
Drawing a sharp contrast with his own era, Gavaskar added: “We didn’t have coaches. We just had former players as managers or assistant managers of the team. They were the kind of people who you went up to and talked to, they gave you some advice at lunchtime or at the end of the day’s play or on the eve of the game.”
He continued, “So, it is difficult for me to get my head around the captain and the coach’s combination. When I was captain, we had nobody who was a former player. To be honest, we have Wing Commander Durrani, Raj Singh Dungarpur. The only time we had Erapalli Prassana, and he was great.”
Tensions rise ahead of The Oval finale
As India and England prepare for the decisive fifth Test at The Oval, the noise off the field — whether it’s about selection policies, leadership clarity, or the spirit of the game — continues to dominate headlines.
With Washington Sundar’s father raising tough questions, Gavaskar pressing for transparency, and Pietersen spotlighting the emotional toll of the game, one thing is clear — this series is about far more than just runs and wickets. It’s about accountability, opportunity, and leadership in the spotlight.
