Cricketer Washington Sundar stubbornly stays on the pitch following his dismissal at the hands of Gus Atkinson, with former Australian captain Ricky Ponting placing blame on India's all-rounder.
On Day 2 of the fifth Test, India found themselves in a precarious position, eventually being bowled out for 224. The main culprit behind this setback was the dismissal of Washington Sundar, who fell victim to a short ball from Gus Atkinson.
Sundar, known for his compulsive hooking in his short career, attempted a weak pull shot that resulted in a catch to deep square-leg. This dismissal was part of a recurring pattern in the series where Sundar has struggled with short balls, often playing half-heartedly. England's short-ball strategy has proven effective against him, leading to his downfall on several occasions.
The loss of Sundar came at a crucial time, as India was trying to rebuild their innings after losing early wickets. Other key players like Karun Nair also fell to the English bowlers, with Josh Tongue dismissing Nair and Sai Sudharsan. Tongue finished the day with figures of 3 for 57, including a couple of "jaffers."
Atkinson was the pick of the bowlers, taking five wickets with figures of 5/33. His performance set up India for a disappointing total, which has further complicated their position in the series. India currently trail England 1-2.
Ravi Shastri, the former India head coach, commented that Atkinson "set Sundar up nicely." Ricky Ponting, the former Australia captain, was critical of Sundar's dismissal, calling it a "nothing shot, half-hearted." Sundar stood in disbelief for an unusually long time after being dismissed.
KL Rahul's intervention prevented a potential altercation during the match, as Akash Deep charged at Ben Duckett. However, no further details about this event were provided.
Sai Sudharsan scored 38 runs, and Sundar made 26 before his dismissal. Karun Nair was the top-scorer for India with 57. The team was bowled out in 69.4 overs.
Atkinson also took four more wickets to finish with his fourth five-wicket haul in the fifth Test. This performance has added to England's dominance in the series, putting pressure on India to perform in the remaining matches to avoid a series loss.
Atkinson's exceptional bowling performance, claiming five wickets with figures of 5/33, left India struggling on Day 2 of the fifth Test, with Sundar's dismissal being a significant blow during important rebuilding efforts after early wickets. Sundar's inability to deal with short balls effectively, demonstrated repeatedly in the series, led to his downfall, as evidenced by Ricky Ponting's criticism of his "nothing shot, half-hearted."
