New Delhi: India spinner Washington Sundar expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, particularly after taking 20 wickets in the second Test against the West Indies, despite the challenges posed by the pitch. Speaking at a press conference after the fourth day’s play, Sundar noted that the Delhi wicket presented minimal bounce and offered little turn, making the bowlers’ achievements noteworthy.
The Indian bowlers had to exert themselves over 200 overs against the West Indies at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. India had declared their first innings at 518 for 5 and dismissed the visitors for 248 runs, allowing for a 270-run lead. The West Indies made a resilient effort in their follow-on, ensuring India needed to bat again with a target of 121 runs set for them.
At stumps on day four, India was in a strong position at 63 for 1, needing just 58 more runs to secure a 2-0 series victory. Sundar described the various challenges different playing conditions present for bowlers. “It’s quite different in different venues, isn’t it?” he remarked. “This, I would say, is a typical Delhi wicket, where there’s not much bounce, and obviously, there wasn’t a lot of turn on offer in this game.”
He further emphasized the importance of adapting to the conditions, stating, “We play in a lot of different conditions, be it home or away, and all those conditions and the opposition challenge our skillsets. We keep going. We try and assess what’s really required in those conditions.”
Reflecting on the achievement of taking 20 wickets on such a pitch, Sundar highlighted the need for patience and consistent accuracy. “On this kind of a wicket, you just need to be patient and try and hit those [good] areas more consistently. It’s good to be bowling long spells, and it’s very heartening to have actually taken 20 wickets on a wicket like this,” he added, praising the efforts of all the bowlers, including the fast bowlers who “bowled their heart out.”
