Washington Sundar enjoys 'incredible feeling' after career-best seven-wicket haul against New Zealand | Cricket News

Washington Sundar bowls during the second test match between India and New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. AP

Washington Sundar was the star of the show on his return to the Indian cricket team with seven wickets as visiting New Zealand were bowled out for 259 on the opening day of the second Test on Thursday.
Devon Conway (76) and Rachin Ravindra (65) led the New Zealand batting line-up after captain Tom Latham won the toss. But it was off-spinner Sundar who stole the show with 7/59, alongside 3/64 for his off-break counterpart Ravichandran Ashwin.
Sundar returned to the Test team after March 2021 and justified his place with his first five-wicket haul after five appearances.
The game is expected to turn even more as the game progresses as India look to level the three-match series after their opening loss in Bengaluru.
“The way it came about, the fact that I wasn't there in the first Test and was called up for that particular Test and given the opportunity to play in the XI, I was really grateful to the coach and captain. An incredible feeling,” said Sundar at the end of the day.
Conway and fellow left-hander Ravindra put on 62 runs for the third wicket, but Sundar scored on either side of the tear.
After removing Southee to take his fifth wicket, the 25-year-old brushed off the end in the final session.
His first wicket came when he bowled Ravindra for 65 to break a 59-run fourth-wicket stand with Daryl Mitchell as New Zealand collapsed to 197-3.
“I wanted to be very accurate no matter what situation I was bowling in or what batsman I was facing. It was God's plan, I executed it really well. I just concentrated on hitting certain areas, changed my pace here and there, just grateful,” the all-rounder added.
“We really felt like it was going to start turning from day one. It turned around in the first session, but I don't think it happened much in the second. From the third session the pitch calmed down but eventually it turned,” he said on the pitch.
When pushed to choose his favorite wickey, Sundar found it difficult. “It’s unfair for me to choose one. Definitely Rachin Ravindra because he batted well. Daryl Mitchell’s wicket also changed the game,” he concluded.
India had a score of 16/1 at the end of the game and lost captain Rohit Sharma for a nine-ball duck against a pass from Tim Southee that formed and crashed over the pad into the off-stump.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (6) and Shubman Gill (10) batted against the hosts by 243 runs.