Washington Sundar on career-best 7-59: “Focused on hitting specific areas and adjusting my pace”

Sundar, who joined India's squad for the remainder of the series on Sunday as a replacement for Kuldeep Yadav, quickly showcased his skills in the game. He claimed his first wicket of the day by dismissing last match's centurion Rachin Ravindra (65), breaking the fourth-wicket partnership with Daryl Mitchell before demonstrating his exceptional spin bowling.

Pune: All-rounder Washington Sundar stole the show on the first day of the second Test against New Zealand with career-best bowling figures of 7-59 to bundle out visitors for 259 on Thursday.

Sundar, who was added to India’s squad for the remainder of the series on Sunday, replaced Kuldeep Yadav and went on to prove his mettle in the game. Last match’s centurion Rachin Ravindra (65) became his first scalp of the day as Sundar broke his fourth wicket partnership with Daryl Mitchell before unleashing his spin brilliance.

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Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bagged the first three wickets of the day as Sundar went on to snare the remaining seven wickets for India. Sundar credited his adjustments to length and pace for the achievement.

“I wanted to be very accurate no matter what situation I was bowling or which batsman I was coming across. It was God’s plan, just came through really well. I just focused on hitting the particular areas, changed my pace here and there, just really grateful,” he told broadcasters after the end of the day’s play.

Sundar revealed the side thought of getting turn from the pitch from the first day itself which eventually did. “We genuinely felt it will start spinning from day one. It did spin in the first session but don’t think it did a lot in the second. The pitch settled down from the third session, but eventually, it did spin,” the Tamil Nadu all-rounder said.

The 25-year-old expressed his excitement on getting a chance to play for India after not being part of the opening Test in Bengaluru.

“The way it came through, fact that I wasn’t part of the first Test and I was called for this particular Test and given the opportunity to play in the XI, I was really grateful to the coach and captain. Unbelievable feeling,” Sundar said.

When asked about his favourite wicket of the day, the spinner picked the dismissals of Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell which shifted the momentum in India’s favour.

“Unfair for me to choose one. Certainly, Rachin Ravindra because he was batting well. Daryl Mitchell’s wicket, as well, was game changer,” he said.

India lost captain Rohit Sharma cheaply after Tim Southee got him on a duck. Yashasvi Jaiswal (6 not out) and Shubman Gill (10 not out) will continue India’s score from 16/1 on Friday. The hosts are currently trailing by 243 runs.