At No. 3, Washington Sundar Becomes Symbol of Trust and Tactical Convenience

Washington Sundar at No.3: India’s Tactical Gamble That Paid Off in Kolkata

In both innings at the Eden Gardens, Washington Sundar walked in when the ball was hardest to handle — new, shiny, zipping off the surface, and amplified by uneven bounce. Yet, twice in two innings, he looked the most assured batter in the contest. His knocks of 29 and 31 may not leap off the scorecard, but in a low-scoring Test that produced just one half-century (Temba Bavuma), Washington’s composure stood out.

Despite batting only four times at No.3 in first-class cricket and never before in Tests, Washington adapted almost instantly. Across both innings, he defended late, left smartly, and resisted every tempting trap. Significantly, he was the only batter in the match to face more than 50 deliveries in each innings — 82 and 92 balls — and finished with a joint-lowest false-shot percentage of 12.5%.

This wasn’t new territory for him. Since debuting at the Gabba in 2021, Washington has shown the temperament of a top-order player. That debut brought a steady half-century and a crucial 22 in the chase. In Ahmedabad soon after, he fell just four short of a maiden Test hundred in a rescue act alongside Rishabh Pant. In Melbourne, he again stood tall with a gritty 50, and eventually brought up his maiden century in Manchester in a five-hour epic last year.

India’s decision to use him at No.3 was also shaped by circumstance. With Rohit Sharma’s retirement, KL Rahul moved back to opening, while Virat Kohli’s exit pushed Shubman Gill down to No.4. Trials with Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan didn’t stick, prompting India to rethink their template.

Washington’s inclusion offered India rare flexibility. Against a South African lineup packed with right-handers, India could deploy two left-arm spinners, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja, while still retaining Kuldeep Yadav — all without compromising batting depth.

“The amount of runs Washington has scored, he is as good as any batter,” batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said, highlighting the trust in his technique. In England earlier this year, Washington produced 284 runs in eight innings at an average of 47.33, reinforcing his value beyond the all-rounder label.

Critics have questioned India’s use of three all-rounders in a Test XI and the fear of “T20 thinking” creeping into the format. But management views Washington as a specialist batter who simply happens to bowl — not the other way around.

Long-term certainty at No.3 may still require a traditional anchor in the mould of Rahul Dravid or Cheteshwar Pujara. For now, though, India have found a fresh direction in Washington Sundar — and in Kolkata, that left-field bet looked smarter than ever.