"Never Seen A More Confused Test Team Ever": Ex-India Star Tears Into Rishabh Pant's Men
The ex-India pacer expressed his views while talking about the demotion of Washington Sundar to number 8 in the team's first innings of the second Test vs South Africa.
- After promoting Washington Sundar to No. 3 in the first South Africa Test, India demoted him in the next game
- "Sundar, after playing two quality innings at No. 3, inexplicably gets demoted," wrote Dodda Ganesh on X
- "Never seen a more confused Indian test team ever," the former India pacer added
The Indian cricket team management continues to surprise with its strange calls in the two-match Test series against South Africa. The number three batting position has been the talk of the town. While Gautam Gambhir-coached India tried Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan before the series, it was spin all-rounder Washington Sundar who got a chance to bat at that position against the Proteas. Interestingly, Sudharsan was part of the squad but was not picked in the Playing XI.
The move sparked widespread criticism, but the second Test in Guwahati saw yet another baffling change from India. Sudharsan was included in the Playing XI, and he batted at number 3. But to everyone's surprise, Sundar was demoted to number 8 in the batting order during India's first innings.
Former India pacer Dodda Ganesh slammed the changes, calling the current Indian Test team the most confused ever.
"Washington Sundar, after playing two quality inns in the last test at no 3, inexplicably gets demoted to no 8, in the very next test. Never seen a more confused Indian test team ever," wrote Ganesh on X.
Washington Sundar, after playing two quality inns in the last test at no 3, inexplicably gets demoted to no 8, in the very next test. Never seen a more confused Indian test team ever #INDvSA
— Dodda Ganesh | (@doddaganesha) November 24, 2025
India were all out for 201 in reply to South Africa's first-innings total of 489 as the home team suffered a batting collapse on the third day of the second Test on Monday.
Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav offered stubborn resistance after India were reduced to 122 for 7 in the second session, stitching a 72-run partnership for the eighth wicket before the former was out for 48 off 92 balls.
Without the eighth-wicket stand between Washington and Kuldeep, India would have been in much deeper trouble.
KL Rahul (22), Sai Sudharsan (15), Dhruv Jurel (0), captain Rishabh Pant (7), Ravindra Jadeja (6) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (10) fell cheaply.
After Sundar's wicket, South Africa wrapped up the two remaining Indian wickets, bowling the home side out in 83.5 overs to take a massive first-innings lead of 288 runs. Kuldeep was out for 19 off 134 balls.
Marco Jansen was the wrecker-in-chief with figures of 6/48, while Simon Harmer took three wickets for 64 runs.
(With PTI inputs)
India Cricket Team
South Africa Cricket Team
Gautam Gambhir