Underbowled. Undervalued. Unbelievable! Why was Washington Sundar ignored?

For the first time in a decade, India conceded over 500 runs in an away Test innings. The venue? Old Trafford. The match? A do-or-die clash where India desperately needed to claw back into the series. But while Joe Root scripted a masterclass and England took a commanding first-innings lead, the most baffling talking point wasn’t the runs conceded, it was the bizarre underuse of Washington Sundar.

Let’s rewind.At Lord’s, Sundar was India’s best bowler in the second innings. His figures of 4/22 were not only the best by an Indian spinner at Lord’s this century. So naturally, one would expect him to be a frontline option in the next Test. Except... he wasn’t.

Inexplicably, Sundar wasn’t handed the ball until the 69th over of the innings. By then, England were 305/2, cruising, and well on their way to a mountain of runs. And then, when Sundar did bowl, he made an instant impact. He dismissed Ollie Pope and Harry Brook in quick succession, offering India a glimmer of hope.

So the question is, why the delay? Sundar was extracting drift, turning the ball, and maintaining control. His economy rate of just 3 was the best among all Indian bowlers on the day. In comparison, India’s pacers, especially with the second new ball, were struggling to make inroads. Yet the team management persisted with them, ignoring the obvious rhythm Sundar was in.

By the end of play, India had bowled 135 overs. Of those, Sundar got just 19. That's not just underutilization, it's tactical negligence. A bowler who had just delivered a match-winning spell days earlier was barely called upon, even when the rest of the attack was visibly ineffective.Was it captain Shubman Gill’s decision-making? Or was it simply a misread of the conditions?

Whatever the reason, it left fans and pundits scratching their heads. Sundar wasn’t just underbowled, he was ignored at the cost of momentum. And now, with England firmly in control of the Test and the series slipping from India’s grasp, it’s hard not to wonder: Did India’s hesitation to back their best bowler cost them big?

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