Despite clear fitness concerns, Washington Sundar walked out to bat for India in a tense phase of the chase against New Zealand, underlining the gravity of the situation in the first ODI at Vadodara.
Sundar, who had earlier been under medical observation following a side/back issue, was visibly restricted between the wickets. His limited mobility was evident immediately, as he could manage only a single despite cleanly lofting a good-length delivery from Kristian Clarke through the off-side. The ball raced towards the boundary before Mitchell Hay chased it down and pulled it back inside the rope, forcing the batters to settle for just one run.
Washington’s inability to run freely added pressure on the batting side, effectively placing the responsibility of finishing the chase on KL Rahul, with strike rotation becoming increasingly difficult. The moment highlighted India’s determination to push through despite injury concerns, but also underlined the risk involved as the match headed into a nervy final stretch.
Sundar’s decision to bat, even while clearly hampered, drew appreciation from the crowd, though it also raised questions about how much support he could realistically provide with the bat in such a high-pressure situation.