Dinesh Karthik reveals Washington Sundar emerging as next premier Indian off-spinner
With R Ashwin entering the twilight of his illustrious career, the BCCI selectors have been keeping a close eye on potential players who could fill in the boots of the veteran off-spinner. While many young spinners have impressed at the domestic circuit, wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik believes Washington Sundar is currently the frontrunner to succeed Ashwin in the national colors.
In a recent interview, Karthik stated that the Indian team management explored as many as three off-spin options during India A's tour of England Lions last month. While Pulkit Narang, Washington Sundar and Saransh Jain were handed opportunities in the three unofficial Tests, it is the latter who has made the strongest case with his consistency. According to Karthik, the 22-year-old Sundar has time and again proved his mettle in the limited chances he has received so far at the international level. From playing a steely hand under pressure to landing accurate deliveries, the all-rounder from Tamil Nadu seems to have demonstrated the temperament and skillset required to thrive at the highest level.
Meanwhile, Karthik also shed light on the possible reasons why finding the next reliable Indian off-spinner has been a challenging task. Flat decks and huge bats have minimzed the margin of error for slow bowlers, especially in limited-overs formats. Unlike leg-spinners and left-arm orthodox who can deceive batsmen in the air, offies are more susceptible to being hit owing to their predictable flight. All said, Washington Sundar's control, variations and promising domestic record make him India's most exciting off-spin prospect as the search continues for someone to fill Ashwin's big shoes. His continued development will be closely tracked in the upcoming season.
