India AAll-rounder

Washington Sundar

Age: 27y 24d
Bats: Left-hand
Bowls: Right-arm off break
From: Chennai

Age: 27y 24d
Bats: Left-hand
Bowls: Right-arm off break
From: Chennai

Washington Sundar owes his first name to PD Washington, a mentor of his father, who chose it as a gesture of gratitude. A left-handed batter in the top order who also sends down off-spin, he progressed through age-group cricket to the Under-19 level, and from Tamil Nadu cricket to the IPL. He starred for India at an Under-19 World Cup staged in Bangladesh, where India reached the final but lost it to West Indies, and his first-class debut that followed was a quiet affair.

He earned his first ODI cap in 2017, aged 18, against Sri Lanka. After India's defeat at the 2017 Champions Trophy, when the selectors were looking beyond Ravi Ashwin and Jadeja in white-ball cricket, Sundar became a back-up spinning option. He featured regularly in home fixtures and did a steady job, though without producing standout bowling performances.

His Test breakthrough was unexpected. Having travelled to Australia merely as a net bowler, he was handed a place in the side for the fourth Test. Batting alongside Shardul Thakur, he helped build a vital stand that cut into Australia's first-innings advantage, and India went on to a celebrated victory at the Gabba. He batted well again when England toured India next, but an injury then disrupted his progress for roughly two years. Another surprise recall came for the 2024 home Tests against New Zealand. India were swept in that series, yet Sundar shone, claiming ten wickets in a Test match for the first time.

In the IPL, Sundar went unsold in 2017 but entered the competition that year with Rising Pune Supergiant, a franchise that no longer exists, as cover for the injured Ravi Ashwin. Valued as an all-rounder able to bat in different positions, bowl in the powerplay and contribute in the field, he took eight wickets in 11 games, and his economical bowling drew particular notice. In the 2018 auction he fetched 3.2 crore rupees, but irregular selection in a frequently changing Royal Challengers line-up under Virat Kohli took a toll on his bowling. He moved to Sunrisers Hyderabad for the 2022 season, where his T20 form dipped and Mayank Markande and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth were preferred ahead of him. Gujarat Titans signed him at the 2025 auction.