By Gautam Gambhir’s move to promote Washington Sundar to No. 3 has puzzled many. Though Sundar has contributed useful lower-order runs in Tests, the No. 3 role is a major shift — and one that surprised Dinesh Karthik the most.
Sundar scored 29 and 31 in the Kolkata Test, but Karthik questioned whether the extra batting workload could hurt his primary skill: bowling.
“If you’re sending him at three, you’re telling him to focus more on batting,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz, adding that long batting sessions inevitably reduce bowling practice.
He called the move a “tricky” and possibly temporary fix. Sundar is seen mainly as a bowler who can bat, but Gambhir appears keen to redefine his role.
With Shubman Gill expected to miss the next Test due to a neck injury, all eyes are on what responsibility Gambhir gives Sundar next.
