“Give him proper role clarity” - Ravi Ashwin wants the Indian team management to give Washington Sundar a proper role clarity

Former India spinner and analyst Ravi Ashwin has suggested that the Indian team management utilise Washington Sundar as a primary bowler who can contribute with the bat, but not the other way around. 

Interestingly, Sundar, who batted at No.5 in the first ODI against South Africa, could score only 13 runs and bowled only three overs. Later in the second ODI, he got run out for one run and managed to bowl only four overs, which didn’t go down well with Ashwin.

“Once you decide to play Washington Sundar, you must treat him as a bowler who can bat. He needs to get his full set of overs. Only then will he think like a bowler who can bat. If he’s just batting and bowling a few overs, he’ll keep searching for who he is. Don’t leave him in that space. Give him proper role clarity,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Furthermore, Ashwin also talked about India’s improper approach with the willow in the death overs. While they were at 284/4 in 40 overs in the second ODI, they could score only 358/5 in the allotted 50 overs. He further reckoned that if a finisher like Nitish Kumar Reddy could be tried in the XI.

“India hasn’t finished well in both games. Without someone like Hardik Pandya, why wasn’t a powerful finisher like Nitish Kumar Reddy tried? I’m not sure if they see Rishabh Pant as a finisher. India is missing that punch at the end. Should a fast-bowling all-rounder play instead of a spinning one?” Ashwin questioned.

“We’ve lost many experienced bowlers in Tests and white-ball cricket. The X-factor is Bumrah. If he isn’t a full-time part of the squad, India must score 30 to 40 extra runs every match,” he concluded.

India will take on South Africa in the third and final ODI of the three-match series on Saturday, December 5, in Visakhapatnam.

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