2nd Test: Washington Sundar’s career-best seven-fer gives India upper hand on Day One (ld)

Pune, Oct 24 (IANS) There is a special link that connects Pune and Washington Sundar. When the city had a franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Washington came in as a replacement player for injured Ravichandran Ashwin and grabbed the attention of onlookers by picking eight wickets in the side’s runners-up finish in 2017.

It was his abilities to take out wickets and contain the run-flow through his off-spin which impressed everyone. Cut to now, and India sprang a surprise in its second Test against New Zealand at Pune by picking Washington, who was added to the side hours after the team’s defeat in Bengaluru, ahead of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. But Washington justified his selection in the playing eleven after a gap of three and a half years by picking career-best figures of 7-59 in his 23.1 overs as New Zealand were bowled out for 259.

In reply, India are 16/1 in 11 overs and trail by 243 runs at the stumps. Yashasvi Jaiswal (6 not out) and Shubman Gill (10 not out) are holding the fort for India after Rohit Sharma was dismissed for a nine-ball duck when Tim Southee got one to nip away a bit and hit the top of the off-stump.

Thursday totally belonged to Washington, who displayed an exhibition accuracy mixed with drift and dip, while varying his pace and seam position well to turn the game on its head for India on a slow black-soil pitch and keep New Zealand to one below 260, after they were 197/3 at one point.

Ashwin chipped in with 3-64 as the innings marked the first-ever instance of all ten wickets taken by India’s right-arm off-spinners in a Test match. In the morning, Devon Conway and captain Tom Latham hit five boundaries between themselves, before the latter fell early to Ashwin, who got the length ball to straighten after pitching on leg-stump and trapped the left-handed batter lbw.

Conway and Will Young got some easy singles while hitting boundaries occasionally to stitch a 44-run stand for the second wicket, with India’s spinners bowling quicker through the air. Ashwin strangled Young down the leg, and Sarfaraz Khan, stationed at short leg, prodded captain Rohit Sharma to take a review.

Replays justified Sarfaraz’s conviction as there was a spike detected on the ultra-edge when the ball passed off the gloves, before being pouched by Rishabh Pant, as Young was dismissed for 18. Conway was solid like a rock, especially in his sweeps, while Rachin Ravindra survived a few close brushes till lunch came.

Post lunch, Conway started with a cracking cover drive off Jasprit Bumrah to get his fifty. He then capitalised on width from Bumrah’s deliveries by punching off the backfoot and opening the face of the bat late to get back-to-back boundaries.

From the other end, Ravindra began to find his groove by using Bumrah’s pace to run through the gap between slip and gully for four. Conway continued to be impressive with his drive and reverse sweeps, before poking at a short and spinning away ball from Ashwin, with the edge caught by Rishabh Pant.

Ravindra took over the run-scoring mantle by lofting Jadeja for six, before beautifully flicking off Akash Deep for four more. After getting his fifty with a stylish flick going through the hands of short mid-wicket for four, Ravindra had two more boundaries coming off Akash via cut and outside edge.

The 59-run stand for the fourth wicket between Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell was brought to a halt by Washington, who turned the tide in favour of India at the fag end of the second session with his dip, drift, and turn. Washington got a tossed-up delivery to turn away sharply from the middle stump and hit the top of the off-stump with a peach of a delivery.

At the stroke of tea, Washington again brought joy to himself and the Indian team by getting a length ball to grip and turn sharply into Blundell, who aimed for a flick but was castled through the gate.

Post-tea, Washington asked for a review after rapping Daryl Mitchell on the pads with a sharp turning delivery, which proved to be a good review as replays showed the ball going on to clip leg-stump. Mitchell Santner tried upping the ante by hitting boundaries, but Washington continued to hurt New Zealand.

A struggling Glenn Phillips holed out to long-off off him, while Tim Southee and Ajaz Patel were castled by the young all-rounder, and Washington wrapped up the New Zealand innings in style by ratting Santner with grip and turn to take out the off-stump, as the visitors lost their last seven wickets for 62 runs, on a day where Washington was back in prominence via Pune, yet again.

Brief scores:

New Zealand 259 all out in 79.1 overs (Devon Conway 76, Rachin Ravindra 66; Washington Sundar 7-59, Ravichandran Ashwin 3-64) lead India 16/1 in 11 overs (Shubman Gill 10 not out; Tim Southee 1-4) by 243 runs

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