Former England bowler Stuart Broad criticised India's decision to hold back Washington Sundar in their attack on day three of the Manchester Test, as England piled on runs in the morning session.
England firmly on top at Old Trafford
Having been 321-6 at lunch on day two, India collapsed in the afternoon session, losing four wickets in the space of 37 runs. In response, England's openers both registered half-centuries, with Ben Duckett dismissed six runs short of a century, before Joe Root and Ollie Pope closed out the day. They resumed where they'd left off this morning (July 25), and looked largely untroubled by India's attack in the morning session.
By lunch, Root and Pope had both passed 50 – Root moving two places up on the all-time Test run-scorer charts in the process to climb to third position – and England established firm control at 332-2, trailing by just 26 runs.
Broad: Holding back Sundar was 'bizarre'
With only 20 minutes to go before the lunch break, spinning all-rounder Washington Sundar was the only bowler who hadn't featured in India's attack during the innings. Frontline spinner Ravindra Jadeja had bowled 12 overs by that point, conceding 48 runs but getting the wicket of Zak Crawley the previous day.
The decision to keep Sundar out of the attack was question by both Dinesh Karthik and Broad on Sky Sports commentary.
"I really feel they should think of bringing in Washington Sundar at this stage," said Karthik. "He's been picked in the squad as a bowler who can give you a little bit with the bat, it's been 67 overs so far and he's still yet to bowl an over. He got four wickets at Lord's, got the ball to drift, we haven't seen Jadeja finding as much drift. I think it's time Shubman Gill has a think about Washington Sundar."
Broad responded in agreement with Karthik: "It makes no sense to me really," Broad said. "At Lord's, Sundar bowled beautifully – 4-22 I think it was, got rid of Root on the sweep, crucial wickets – and then to not have bowled a ball in 67 overs when the opposition team are 301-2 just seems bizarre."
Sundar played a key role in England's second innings collapse in the third Test at Lord's, castling Root's leg stump as he attempted a sweep, before also bowling Jamie Smith, Ben Stokes, and taking the final wicket of the innings. However, the over after Karthik and Broad's criticism, Sundar was indeed brought on to bowl. The three overs he bowled before lunch went for 16 runs and no wickets.
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