Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has said that Washington Sundar will have to bowl more in matches to make him a potent, wicket-taking spin option, adding that he will remain just an allrounder and his bowling abilities will get sidelined if he doesn’t deliver more than 30 overs in a match.
After India were outplayed by South Africa in the recent Test series, Harbhajan argued that the side lacks a specialist off-spinner in the format and requested a greater workload for Sundar.
In their second home series since Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirement, India’s spinners were outbowled by South Africa’s, who picked up 25 wickets across the two Tests.
“Looks like (India don’t have a specialist right-arm off-spinner for Tests),” Harbhajan said while
speaking to PTI.
Harbhajan believes that Sundar still has a long road ahead to become a specialist right-arm off-spinner and a true like-for-like successor to Ashwin in terms of all-around ability.
“I think Washington Sundar is there, but we will have to bowl him more. He will have to be bowled for 30-35 overs in a Test to make a bowler out of him,” Harbhajan said while speaking at an event in Mumbai.
The former India spinner, third on the nation’s all-time list, believes that India must move away from preparing rank turners for home Tests.
“The kind of pitches we have been playing on, there is no requirement of making a bowler out of anyone because every delivery spins or some straightens,” Harbhajan said.
“A bowler can (only) be considered good when he takes wickets on good pitches,” Harbhajan added.
The former Indian cricketer said that it is time for India to prepare better Test pitches, as the development of the nation’s red-ball cricketers has stalled because of the reliance on rank turners at home.
“We should play on good cricket pitches; it is high time,” Harbhajan said.
