Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) spinner Washington Sundar was back to his comfort zone on Monday (September 28) when he was asked to bowl three overs in the powerplay while his team was defending a mammoth 201 against Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2020 in Dubai. The off-break bowler did a fabulous job by giving away just 12 runs during that phase and taking the priced scalp of Rohit Sharma.
In a game in which over 400 runs were scored, Sundar’s initial three overs played a crucial role in the final outcome of the game. Talking about it in the post-match presser, Sundar sounded pleased with his performance.
“I did some planning coming to this game and I was happy that I was given this role, and I enjoy bowling in power-play. It is all the more fun when two great batsmen are playing and when you have got two fielders outside the circle. “[I am] very glad that the captain has got so much confidence [for me],” he said.
However, according to Sundar, the challenge will be to keep delivering throughout the tournament. “I should be able to do this and win games for RCB,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sundar confirms that with AB de Villiers taking up the wicket-keeping gloves, the team is now a much more balanced unit. Against Mumbai he kept wickets in place of off-colour Josh Philippe and also scored a 24-ball half-century.
“Tell me one thing that he cannot do, whatever the team needs him to do he will do, he will be more than happy to do and he has been doing that for so many years for RCB,” Sundar said of the 36-year-old star, who has retired from international cricket.
“It adds a lot of balance and he behind the wickets also gives bowlers a lot of thought process and he adds a lot of value to the team,” he added.
Speaking about Monday’s match, Sundar said pacer Navdeep Saini conceding just seven runs in the Super Over was a reflection of his tough character.
“He [Saini] has been amazing not just this year but the last couple of years also. He has been very good and he is going from strength to strength and growing as well,” Sundar said.
“He did the same thing with the Indian team also, to be able to bowl such a 19th over with two set batsmen, and when Hardik [Pandya] and Pollard are at the crease in the Super Over, to be able to give just seven runs is amazing. “It shows so much character and how much he has got that hunger (to succeed), so much credit should go to him,” added the spinner.