Ind vs Eng, 4th Test: Dinesh Karthik applauds Sundar’s ‘fabulous knock’

New Delhi: India all-rounder Washington Sundar was left stranded four short of a well-deserved Test century as he ran out of batting partners. But wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik has praised the effort and called it a “fabulous knock” as it enabled the hosts to build a 160-run lead in the fourth Test against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday.

With the India innings finishing on 365 a lead of 160 the visitors had to bat out three overs before the umpires called for Lunch. At the break, England’s score read 6/0 with openers Zak Crawley (5) and Dominic Sibley (1) at the crease.

Taking to Twitter, Karthik wrote, “Washing’TON’ Sundar. I was waiting to write this…but it’s okay, I’m sure I’ll use this very soon! Fabulous knock @Sundarwashi5.”

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh also said Sundar “deserved” a hundred in the game.
“Feel sad for this young man @Sundarwashi5 deserved 100 #INDvsENG,” he tweeted.

Earlier, resuming the third day on 294/7, overnight batters Sundar and Axar Patel saw off the first hour with ease and the duo scored runs at a brisk pace, piling on further misery on the tired England bowlers. The first hour saw India scoring 50 runs as both Sundar and Axar looked to make the most of the bad balls from the visiting bowlers.

Just when the 100-run plus partnership looked to take India’s lead beyond England’s reach, Axar (43) was run out against the run of play. In the very next over, Ishant Sharma (0) was out leg before off the bowling of Ben Stokes and India’s score was reduced to 365/9 with Sundar still four runs away from his century.

While Sundar would have hoped for Siraj to hold one end up, Stokes cleaned him up in the same over as the all-rounder was left stranded — four short of a much-deserved maiden Test century. Even though Sundar missed out, the crowd was entertained to the core by Rishabh Pant on Friday as he hit a magnificent century.