Star all-rounder Washington Sundar has been rewarded for his stellar 152 in the Ranji Trophy as he has been added to India's updated squad for the second and third Test matches against New Zealand.
"The Men’s Selection Committee on Sunday added Mr Washington Sundar to India’s squad for the remainder of the IDFC First Bank Test series against New Zealand," BCCI wrote in a statement on Sunday. "Mr Washington Sundar will link-up with the squad in Pune ahead of the second Test," the Indian Board added.
Washington scored a brilliant 152 for Tamil Nadu in the second round of the Ranji Trophy. Coming in at No.3, the all-rounder played a scintillating 269-ball 152-run knock which helped Tamil Nadu reach over 600 in the clash against Delhi.
Washington has been in and out of the Indian team for quite some period. His last red-ball game for India came way back in 2021 when India hosted England in a four-match Test series. His debut was in the famous Brisbane Test against Australia in January 2021 which India won despite facing a lot of odds. Overall, the all-rounder has played four Tests, having picked six wickets and with 265 runs on his back.
He was part of India's squad for the last three of the five-match home series against England earlier this year but was not picked in the Playing XI in any of the games. Subsequently, Sundar was released from the squad ahead of the fifth Test to play the Ranji Trophy.
There are no other changes to the squad that was announced earlier. India went down to New Zealand in the first Test in Bengaluru as the Blackcaps chased down a 107-run target with eight wickets in hand. This was India's first Test match loss to New Zealand at home after 36 years.
The second Test is set to begin on October 24 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune with the third match being played at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai from November 1 onwards.
India’s updated squad for the second and third Test against New Zealand: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Washington Sundar.
