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Ravichandran Ashwin urged the Indian team management to find the optimal role for Washington Sundar in the T20 setup, explaining how the spin-bowling all-rounder
from Tamil Nadu has been underutilised.
The former India cricketer said that while the team management has backed Sundar, he hasn't been given a clear role. Ashwin highlighted how the 26-year-old doesn't get too many overs to bowl.
"The team management has backed Washington Sundar. His place has been confirmed in this Indian team. But I just feel that Washington Sundar plays in the team, but his role is not there. He is on the field but gets just one over, or doesn't get a single over at times," Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.
"He is not a finisher" - R Ashwin questions Washington Sundar's batting position in IRE vs IND 2026 1st T20I
To explain how much backing Sundar has gotten from the Indian team, Ashwin mentioned how he played ahead of Axar Patel in the T20 World Cup clash against South Africa earlier this year. Axar was the vice-captain of the team at the time. The 39-year-old suggested that instead of using Sundar as a finisher, India should play him as a floater, similar to how Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma used Axar when they were the coach and captain, respectively.
"If you remember, during the World Cup, vice-captain Axar Patel was dropped for Washington Sundar against South Africa. That is the amount of backup Washington Sundar is getting. Even in batting, he is being used as a finisher, and he is not a finisher. He should be used as a floater, like how Rahul and Rohit used Axar. It feels a bit like a wrong role utilization of Washington Sundar," he remarked.
In the first T20I, Sundar bowled just one over and gave away 19 runs. With the bat, the southpaw managed nine runs off 12 balls, batting at No. 6.
