Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has expressed sharp concerns over Washington Sundar’s recent performances with the ball, pointing out that the off-spinner has barely been used across formats in the past few months. Despite Gautam Gambhir’s preference for all-rounders to strengthen the batting depth, Sundar’s bowling has not inspired confidence, leading to limited overs in key situations. In the first two ODIs against South Africa, Sundar bowled only three and four overs respectively, raising questions about whether the management trusts him as a proper wicket-taking option. Although he has made useful contributions with the bat in Tests and T20Is, his bowling form has been shaky for a while.
Kaif did not mince words in his assessment, remarking that Sundar is “not even half of Ashwin” in terms of pure spin ability. He pointed out that captains across formats have repeatedly turned to Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav during pressure phases, bypassing Sundar even when he’s in the XI. “The management should define what Washington’s role really is. Skill-wise, he is nowhere close to Ashwin as a spinner. Across formats, different captains have avoided giving him full overs. When the match gets tight, they always go to Jadeja or Kuldeep. That shows the lack of trust in his wicket-taking ability. He has a lot of work to do on his bowling,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel. Sundar has also struggled with the bat in the ongoing ODI series, scoring just 13 and 1, adding to the scrutiny around his all-round value. Kaif further stated that Sundar currently looks stuck between roles, with neither discipline standing out. “Right now, he looks neither like a reliable bowler nor a dependable batter. You want him to bat more, but his bowling is dipping. His main job is to take wickets; batting is supposed to be a bonus. If his bowling keeps slipping and the team doesn’t give him overs, he’ll fall further behind. He needs clearer direction and must work on his variations and skill set if he wants a long run in international cricket,” he added. The comments put renewed focus on Sundar’s role in the Indian setup as the team continues experimenting ahead of future assignments.
