India’s stunning collapse in the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata has triggered several tough conversations, and former India cricketer Dinesh Karthik has strongly questioned the team management’s decision-making, particularly surrounding Washington Sundar’s role.
After India’s 30-run defeat, Karthik expressed concern over Sundar being promoted to No. 3 and the potential long-term impact this could have on his development as a genuine Test all-rounder.
Karthik Flags Role Confusion: “Is He a Bowler Who Can Bat?”
Speaking on Cricbuzz after the match, Karthik highlighted the confusion around Sundar’s identity in the Test setup. Traditionally seen as a bowling all-rounder, Sundar was surprisingly sent out at No. 3, a position associated with specialist batters.
Karthik questioned the clarity of expectations: “Where is Washington Sundar, the Test player, being looked at? Is he a bowler who can bat?” He argued that the team may be inadvertently pushing Sundar into a full-time batting role at the expense of his bowling, a balance extremely difficult to maintain at the highest level.
“Physically Impossible to Be Good at Both” - Karthik’s Warning
Karthik stressed that a player cannot excel simultaneously as a frontline bowler and a top-order batter without compromising one skill set. “If you are sending him at three, you’re almost telling him that he needs to focus a lot more on batting. The moment he starts spending those long hours batting in practice, you reduce bowling time. It is physically impossible to be good at both.”
Sundar bowled just one over in the entire Test, despite conditions favouring spin, a statistic that further amplified Karthik’s argument.
A “Tricky Call” for Team India
Karthik believes India’s message to Sundar is clear: big runs are expected from him. But turning him into a top-order batter could diminish his value as a bowler. “This could affect his bowling in the long run. It is a very tricky one.”
With Shubman Gill’s availability for the second Test uncertain, India may be forced to rethink their combination. Reports suggest that if Gill misses out, the management may prefer all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy over a specialist batter, indicating that India is still searching for the right balance.
