Stats: Washington Sundar join list of best Test bowling stats for India in losing cause

Washington Sundar, a young Indian all-rounder, just made history in India’s recent Test loss to New Zealand in Pune with outstanding stats of 11-115.

Alongside cricketing greats like Javagal Srinath and Harbhajan Singh, his feat was only the seventh time an Indian bowler claimed ten or more wickets in a losing Test match. Sundar, who returned to Test cricket after a three-and-a-half-year hiatus, was selected in the starting lineup instead of Kuldeep Yadav, mainly to bolster India’s batting depth after a meltdown in the first Bengaluru Test. Despite his extended hiatus from red-ball cricket, the Tamil Nadu all-rounder gave a masterclass in spin bowling.

Washington Sundar used the conditions to his advantage with excellent control in the first innings.

The in-form Rachin Ravindra collapsed after he was dismissed by his round-the-wicket ball, and the youthful player went on to record career-best figures of 7/59.

The twenty-five-year-old added four more wickets to his total in the second innings, demonstrating his remarkable skill with the ball. Important batters Devon Conway and Tom Latham were among his victims. The reason why Sundar’s victory was spoken about was that he defeated senior spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who are often India’s best destroyer at home.

India loses the Test series at home after a 12-year absence.

Sundar broke Harbhajan Singh’s long-standing record of taking five wickets with his outstanding performance, becoming the first Indian right-arm spinner to do so outside of Ashwin since 2011.

Even with Washington Sundar’s valiant efforts, India lost their first home series since 2012. His bowling numbers of 11/115 are currently the second-best by an Indian in a Test defeat, only surpassed by Javagal Srinath’s 13/132 against Pakistan at the Eden Gardens in 1999. Bhagwath Chandrasekhar (11/235), Harbhajan (11/224), and Bapu Nadkarni (11/122) all have performances in the elite list.

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The Chennai native has also been selected for the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, which will take place over five matches next month. Sundar will make his second trip back to Australia after making his debut during the previous BGT tour in 2021.

Best bowling figures for India in losing cause