Why is Washington Sundar not playing 1st IND vs AFG T20I in Delhi?
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Washington Sundar’s exclusion came as surprise for many in 1st IND vs AFG T20I.
The reason for Washington Sundar being included in the plans of India in limited-overs cricket is the versatility of his skills. His off-spin bowling makes him a valuable player to have against right-handed batsmen, whereas his batting skills offer more depth. His versatility, however, also means that he has to compete with other all-rounders and spinners in the team.
Having various options to choose from, it was not easy for the team management to choose players for the series opening game.
Washington Sundar has been left out of the playing XI of India for the first T20I match against Afghanistan in Delhi even though he was declared fit to play and included in the squad for the series of three matches. The all-rounder player had just returned to the squad following recovery from his injury and was expected to make it to the first match of the series.
Why did Washington Sundar miss 1st IND vs AFG T20I?
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Sundar’s snub is not due to any injury but rather a tactical decision in the selection of the squad by the team management for this particular match. Washington Sundar passed his fitness test before this series against Afghanistan, and that might be the reason India opted to rest him for series opener.
India have selected Axar Patel and Nitish Kumar Reddy as their all-rounders while the bowlers include Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Varun Chakravarthy.
Axar’s left-arm spin and batting prowess offer India another all-rounder in a similar fashion, whereas Varun offers another kind of threat in the form of a mystery spinner. Given that India already has options like Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, there is little space for any other spin-bowling speciality.
The exclusion of Sundar in this regard should not necessarily be viewed as bad news for the Tamil Nadu all-rounder. He is a key figure in the larger strategy of India and may even find a place in the playing eleven in some other match of the series based on the demands of the team.
For now, it seems that his exclusion from the opening T20I is merely a matter of selection. With two more games left in the series, Sundar has the potential to make a substantial contribution.
Is Washington Sundar fit for the Afghanistan series?
Yes, Washington Sundar has been declared fit and is available for India’s T20I series against Afghanistan.
Who are the Indian spinners picked for the 1st T20I against Afghanistan?
India selected Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy as the primary spinners in their playing XI for the opening T20I against Afghanistan on September 13, 2026.
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