Gautam Gambhir Endorses Player for India’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Playing XI

New Delhi: Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has identified Washington Sundar as a key all-rounder in India’s squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Ashwin, now 38 years old, has praised Sundar for his off-spin bowling skills and his ability to bat as a left-hander, which will give India the advantage of effectively rotating the strike during crucial moments in the game.

Ashwin further revealed that head coach Gautam Gambhir holds Washington Sundar in high regard and has been backing him consistently over the past few months. In a notable move, Sundar was preferred over Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the opening match of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia in Perth. The 25-year-old also featured in the final two Tests of the five-match series alongside Jadeja in Australia.

Sundar was also a part of the three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka last year, where he impressed with both bat and ball. He took five wickets and scored 50 runs across his three outings against the island nation. However, despite his efforts, the Indian team lost the series 0-2.

“In today’s cricket, having a left-right hand combination is crucial, especially since there are no off-spinners in this team. While the team has left-arm spinners, the ability to rotate the strike is key. I believe Washington Sundar will definitely slot in at No. 8. There are two reasons for this. First, Gautam Gambhir highly rates him and has backed him over the last few months. If Sundar comes in at No. 8, it will immediately change the team’s balance in a positive way,” Ashwin said.

Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Washington Sundar should be batting in the top 5 for India in ODIs to offer the team more options moving forward. Speaking in a recent video, Ashwin suggested that Sundar’s role should be elevated in the batting order, emphasizing that playing at positions like No. 4 or 5 while also bowling would create a better balance for the team. He noted that having an off-spinner in the top 5 would significantly change the team’s dynamics.

Ashwin further explained that such a move would open up numerous options for the team, allowing them to be more flexible in their strategies. Sundar, who has scored 315 runs in 14 ODI innings at an average of 24.23, including one half-century, has shown his batting potential. In his List-A career, Sundar has accumulated 983 runs in 56 innings with an average of 21.84, including two fifties. Last year, Sundar impressed with a 152-run knock for his state team, batting at No. 3 in the Ranji Trophy, before making his return for the last two matches of the three-match series against New Zealand.