Dinesh Karthik Questions Gambhir’s Bold Gamble On Washington Sundar

Gautam Gambhir’s unexpected decision to elevate Washington Sundar to the No. 3 batting position has sparked strong reactions across the cricketing community. Traditionally a lower-order contributor in Test cricket, Sundar has shown flashes of batting potential, but his sudden promotion to one of the most demanding roles in the lineup left fans and experts puzzled.

The move came after India opted to leave out B Sai Sudharsan from the position, replacing him with Sundar during the Kolkata Test. Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik openly questioned this strategy, emphasising that Gambhir’s long-known admiration for Sundar might have influenced the decision. However, Karthik believes that assigning Sundar such a crucial batting role does not logically align with his core strengths as an all-rounder.

Concerns About Impact On Sundar’s Bowling

Sundar managed scores of 29 and 31 in the two innings of the Kolkata Test, making him one of India’s better performers with the bat in a low-scoring match. Yet, Dinesh Karthik argued that this temporary success might come at a long-term cost. According to Karthik, preparing for the No. 3 role requires intense, prolonged batting practice. This added workload could inevitably reduce the time Sundar spends fine-tuning his bowling skills.

He stressed that no player can equally dedicate themselves to mastering both disciplines at such an elevated level due to physical and mental limitations. Karthik highlighted that Sundar has always been viewed as a bowler capable of contributing useful runs, not as a top-order batter. By promoting him so high in the lineup, the team management may be unintentionally altering his development path and expectations.

A Temporary Role Or A New Direction?

Karthik described the current scenario as delicate, as Sundar’s elevation appears to be a short-term fix rather than a planned long-term role. He noted that Gautam Gambhir’s approach indicates a desire to extract bigger scores from Sundar, which could push the all-rounder into a new identity as a batting-heavy player. This transition, however, may risk diminishing his primary value as a bowler.

The situation becomes more complex with the possibility of Shubman Gill missing the second Test due to a neck injury. Should Gill remain unavailable, all eyes will be on Gambhir’s next move regarding Sundar’s position. Whether Sundar continues at No. 3 or returns to his lower-order duties could reveal the team’s actual vision for his future role in the Test setup.