Gautam Gambhir's Bold No.3 Gamble Backfires Early Spotlight Turns Harsher
Washington Sundar's promotion to No. 3 was the headline move of this Test-bolder still because it came at the expense of a specialist batter, Sai Sudharsa
By the time the Eden Gardens cameras cut to Gautam Gambhir on Saturday morning, the point had already been made. India were 75 for 2, Washington Sundar was walking back after a painstaking 29 off 82 balls, and the Kolkata Test had delivered its first big flashpoint: had the Indian team's head coach over-played his hand? Sundar's promotion to No. 3 was the headline move of this Test-bolder still because it came at the expense of a specialist batter, Sai Sudharsan. It was Gambhir's call, built on belief rather than numbers. And for 128 minutes, Sundar tried to repay that faith. He was disciplined, compact, and-crucially-limited. The ball from Simon Harmer stayed low, sharply undercutting his attempt to defend. This wasn't Australia, where Sundar could free his arms against truer bounce. This was Eden on a nippy November morning, where shot-making had to be earned. But the scoreboard will show only the failure. And in India, perception moves faster than context. Gambhir knew this would be scrutinised the moment Sundar trudged off.
Why Gambhir Backed Him
For weeks leading into the series, Gambhir has been vocal about rejigging India's Test template-promoting multi-dimensional cricketers, carving out batting roles that stretch beyond labels. Sundar, with his hybrid skill set, fits that bill perfectly.
And the belief isn't one-sided. Washington's sister, Shailaja Sundar, captured the trust between player and mentor beautifully to NDTV recently: "Gauti bhai has been an incredible support for Washi. He loves the skills he brings in and wants to support him to make the best use of it." It wasn't empty sentiment; it was the philosophy behind the selection.
The Strategic Argument
On commentary, Anil Kumble laid out the tactical logic succinctly: "It's all-rounders. If you look at the lineup, Sundar has been slotted at 3... The rest of them are all-rounders. I consider Rishabh Pant as an all-rounder." This was India's attempt to stack depth, flexibility, and bowling options without losing steel at the top. And Dinesh Karthik, who has long admired Sundar's temperament, reiterated the selection thinking on Cricbuzz: "Washington has shown skill anywhere he has batted-in England or Australia. So you felt like you have to play him. So what is the way to fit him? Bat him at No. 3, give him the opportunity. Hopefully he gets a long run." A long run is exactly what a move this big needs. But Test cricket doesn't always allow it.
Bangar Puts His Finger on the Real Issue
On ESPNcricinfo, Sanjay Bangar nailed the emotional cost of such strategic gambles: "It will put a question mark in Sai Sudharsan's mind," he said of Sundar. "After saying we are going to back you till the hilt and suddenly those words are not backed by actions... you question whether your place is secure or not." It's a pointed warning: if Sundar was picked with the promise of trust, one failure-especially at an experimental position-cannot become the start of a countdown.
The Gambhir Equation
This isn't just about Sundar. It's about Gambhir's model of aggressive, intuition-led selection. When it works, he is hailed as a visionary. When it doesn't, knives come out fast. Sundar's 29 today will be read as a failure by the impatient. But Gambhir's long-term bet on an all-rounder-led structure will be tested only over weeks, not hours.
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Gautam Gambhir