“India are preparing Washington Sundar for future”: Harbhajan Singh on aging R Ashwin after young spinner’s selection in Perth Test

Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh feels India are preparing for the future, with Washington Sundar getting preference over Ravichandran Ashwin in the Perth Test. India National Cricket Team benched Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja and included Sundar in the Playing XI in the series opener of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Sundar scored 33 runs across two innings and dismissed two batters. He recently returned to the Test side after three years and took 11 wickets in the second Test against New Zealand. He bowled better than Ashwin and Jadeja, and the management gave him the go-ahead in Perth.

“I think the team management is thinking about the long-term plan. Ravichandran Ashwin has done a magnificent job for India by taking all those wickets,” Harbhajan told PTI in an exclusive interview.

He further said that Ashwin is aging, and the decision-makers are preparing Sundar.

“Ashwin is 38 and that’s why they have kept Sundar with the team. The teams thinks that they have to make Washington ready whenever Ashwin retires. I think they are working on a plan.”

Ashwin has taken 16 wickets in three Tests at the Adelaide Oval, the venue of the second Test. In the last Test in Adelaide, Ashwin took five wickets in the 2020-21 series. He dismissed four batters in the first innings and one in the second essay.

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