Washington Sundar (image:iplt20.com)
When Washington Sundar hit a massive no look six in yesterday’s IPL match between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) any Indian cricket fan must have roll back the years. It was in 2021, in the iconic Gabba Test match India had won their first ever Test series on Australian soil. In that match Sundar smacked a similar six off Pat Cummins in the first innings when he played a crucial knock along with Shardul Thakur that turned the things around for Men in Blue. The name Washington Sundar is one that, when you are about to forget the name, he comes in and delivers so you never forget him.
In yesterday’s clash against his former team SRH, Sundar was added to the squad of GT for the first time in the season, majorly as a third spinner considering the flat pitch in Hyderabad. But he was not called up for bowling when their pacers were delivering enough restricting SRH for a sub par score of 152. He, however, had another mission on his debut for GT coming at number four in batting when their two wickets lost for just 16. Smacking his IPL-best 49 off 29 balls he turned the game in the favour of his team building a 90 runs partnership with the skipper Shubman Gill. While GT eventually winning an easy chase, pacer Muhammed Siraj earned the Man of the Match for his exceptional spell of 4/17, but Sundar could be one who made inroads for them in a tricky chase leaving a comfortable task behind while he fell short of a well-deserved maiden IPL fifty.
The 25-year old allrounder first grabbed the headlines by his impressive IPL debut season for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017 replacing injured Ravichandran Ashwin. When the team finished as runner-up in the season the then 17-years old has taken eight wickets in 11 matches. More than the wickets he took, his economy of 6.16 was the talking point where he bowled exceptionally in powerplays. He then moved to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in 2018 where he spent there five years, in which 2020 was his best when he took eight wickets in 15 games at even better economy of 5.96. Playing for SRH since 2022 his part was minimal over three years there, where he only featured in two games last season. GT acquired him for ₹3.2 crores in 2025 IPL mega auction.
Coming to the international stage, he could grab the attention of selectors in 2017 with his standout performance for Pune in IPL. At the age of 18 years and 80 days, while playing In T20is for the first time in that year he became the youngest to debut for India in the format. In Nidahas Trophy next year, he took three wickets against Sri Lanka, being the youngest player to do so in T20is. Finishing the tournament as player of the tournament he cemented his place in the Indian squad as well.
After a long time it was the Gabba Test reminded people about him when he included in the line-up for the first time in the series. His partnership with Shardul Thakur pulled things back for India in the first innings reducing the deficit and eventually putting India in winning side.
Later, when frequent injuries kept him off the field he was pushed back behind the curtains. But Sundar was not ready to be forgotten again as he returned against New Zealand in the home Test series in 2024 taking 11 wickets in a match. Even though India ended up in losing side in both the match and series, he could prove that he could be a perfect replacement for Ashwin for India at home in the longest format.
Now, delivering for Gujarat Titans on his debut for the franchise, Sundar is once again reminding everyone that he’s not just a bowler — he’s a true allrounder, capable of contributing with the bat in any format while offering control and precision with the ball.
In a game that often forgets too quickly, Washington Sundar keeps finding ways to be remembered — with bat, ball, and the unshakable grit of a true allrounder.
(This story is part of a Timeline internship project)
