Latest news with #Sundar
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Transport wing official promises to resolve employees' issues
Regional Joint Transport Commissioner (Zone 2) Vadde Sundar on Wednesday (July 30) said efforts would be made to resolve the employees' issues and that a decision regarding their promotions would be taken soon. Interacting with the staff during his maiden visit to the Vijayawada District Transport Office after taking charge as Joint Transport Commissioner recently, Mr. Sundar emphasised the need to provide transparent services to vehicles owners and drivers as it would enhance the reputation of the Transport Department. Should the staff encounter any technical issues on the 'Vahan Sarathi' portal, they should promptly bring it to the attention of the higher authorities to ensure its smooth functioning, he said, adding that efforts would be made to improve the portal's efficiency. He said decisions regarding promotions, from Junior Assistant to Senior Assistant and from Constable to Head Constable, would be finalised soon. He also instructed senior officers to ensure that applications received from the public were resolved within stipulated timelines and that progress reports were submitted regularly. He also emphasised the need to monitor the dashboard to avoid any pending tasks.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
England Star Shamed, Actions Described As 'Absolute Filth' Amid Ben Stokes-Ravindra Jadeja 'Handshake' Row
Drama unfolded in the final moments of the fourth Test between India and England at Old Trafford, as India batters Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar refused England captain Ben Stokes ' offer of a draw with 15 overs to go in the day. Both Jadeja and Sundar were nearing centuries, and wanted to get to the milestone, having taken India to safety and pulled off an unprecedented draw. It resulted in Stokes handing the ball to Harry Brook, who delivered a couple of dollies as Jadeja and Sundar raced to their hundreds. Brook's act has been criticised by several experts and fans, with former England cricketer Stuart Broad calling it "filth". "Harry Brook came on to bowl and he bowled absolute filth. He bowled off spin. It was a bit of an embarrassing moment," Broad said on the ' For The Love of Cricket ' podcast. "Right-arm medium pace and you come up and bowl off spin? I didn't know he bowled off spin. He looked like a poor man's Dan Lawrence in his action. He was trying to get the game done," Broad added. Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has strongly backed his batters' decision to stay on the crease and complete their centuries, even as English skipper Ben Stokes offered a handshake for a draw. Speaking in a post-match press conference, Gambhir hit back at England when asked about the handshake standoff. "If someone is batting on 90 and the other is batting on 85, don't they deserve a hundred? Would they have walked off? If someone from England would've been batting on 90 or 85 and had the opportunity to score their first Test hundred, wouldn't you allow them to do it? See, it's up to them. If they want to play that way, it's up to them. I think both of those guys deserved a hundred, and they got it," said Gambhir. After India denied Stokes' request to shake hands and settle for a draw at the drinks break, Jadeja got his century by dancing down the pitch to whack Brook for six and smacked another full toss from the part-timer for four. Sundar then smacked Brook over extra cover for four, bringing up 200 of his partnership with Jadeja before a flick got him the two runs needed to raise his first Test century. Immediately after, the players shook hands for real to end the game in a draw, with India being the happier side, thanks to epic match-saving innings from Rahul, Gill, Jadeja, and Sundar keeping the visitors 'alive in the five-match series.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Consistent line, early focus on bat and ball, faith from Gautam Gambhir: Washington Sundar's journey to becoming an integral member of the Indian team
'Ni ena periya Prasanna va? (are you the great (EAS) Prasanna?)' This was a question that a young Washington faced from his father, M Sundar, in 2016 over a dinner table in Kolkata. In the lead-up to that year's Under-19 World Cup, as Washington was leaking runs in the preparatory fixtures in Kolkata, Sundar only found out what was wrong once he saw his son bowling at the venue. 'He was tossing them up like a classical off-spinner would do. And Sarfaraz Khan hit him for three-four sixes over mid-wicket in one over. I couldn't believe what he was doing,' he tells The Indian Express. That night, Sundar would drop in to the team hotel to have a quiet word or two to remind Washington what he originally is. 'When he joined the team for the camp, they wanted him to flight the ball and toss it up. He is not Prasanna or (R) Ashwin. Washington's strength is constantly attacking the stumps and bowling in the same spot again and again and testing batsmen's patience. Now that Ashwin isn't around, you can't expect him to bowl like him. He is a great with over 500 Test wickets. Washington has to bowl like Washington…' Sundar pauses before completing the sentence: 'And bat like Washington.' What-a-TON Sundar! 💯 Grit. Determination. Dominance. Held the fort till the very end, a maiden test century to cherish forever! 🙌🏻#ENGvIND 👉 5th TEST | Starts THU, 31st July, 2:30 PM | Streaming on JioHotstar! — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 27, 2025 In India's ongoing tour of England, Washington has shown with the ball and bat why he would be an integral member of the national team squad going forward. At Edgbaston and Lord's, he has shown his off-breaks don't need favourable conditions and that he has enough guile to create opportunities. And on the final day at Manchester, his unbeaten 206-ball 101 showed why he deserves to bat up the order. With a strong defence as his base, he is capable of constructing innings like any other top-order batsman and that's one of the reasons why many in Tamil Nadu cricket have been harping, for long, that Washington's batting capabilities are being under-utilised. That may no longer be the case as Washington is emerging into a cricketer that Sundar has been dreaming of all along. 'I wanted him to be the captain's go-to man across formats with bat and ball. When you are switching formats, I didn't want anything to be compromised. If your foundations are strong, you can manage everywhere. I have given Washy a strong base,' Sundar says. For decades, Kamal Haasan has been the lone, bright shining star in Chennai's Eldams Road. Now, with the 25-year-old all-rounder's breakthrough performances in England, he has Washington for company. The traits that Sundar spells out are what caught Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni's attention in the 2017 IPL. In 2025, it is why India are counting on Washington every time they pick him in the XI, knowing he won't give away easy runs and can make telling contributions with the bat. It is precisely what Washington has delivered through the series, where he has left so much of a mark with the ball that Shubman Gill's captaincy came under sharp scrutiny for not bowling him till the 69th over of England's innings at Manchester. He may not be a conventional off-spinner, but the drift alone has caused England batsmen plenty of trouble. 'Very early in his age, all that I would make him bowl was spot bowling. I would drop a handkerchief on the pitch just outside the off-stump line. Washington's job was to keep landing the ball repeatedly on it and hit the top of off-stump. With that line and the drift he was getting, I believed, he had more chances to succeed because he would constantly be bowling in the line of the stumps and even if it holds its line, then the outside edge will come in play. As a spinner, he can still test both the edges. And when he was also deceiving batsmen with his drift,' Sundar says. Being tall, Washington's high-arm release and open-chested action mean he has the sight of batsmen at all times, allowing him to make adjustments till the point of release. Those huge fingers, impart plenty of revs, which in turn enable him to get the drift. That has become the sucker punch for batsmen. 'He has always had the drift,' AC Pratheepan, who has been mentoring him of late in Chennai, says. 'In the last few years, he has undergone a small tweak, where he wants to use the crease and angles more to create the illusion in the minds of batsmen that he is getting more turn than what is actually on offer.' #WashingtonSundar reflects on how special it was to score his maiden Test century to help save the match and how he and #Ravindrajadeja planned the rescue act together.#ENGvIND 👉 5th TEST | Starts THU, 31st July, 2:30 PM | Streaming on JioHotstar! — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 27, 2025 If that drift left both New Zealand's Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra squared up, in Manchester, it left Harry Brook in a different postcode. In all of it, apart from the drift, the angle causes an element of illusion. Pratheepan points out how Washington has slightly changed his grip on the ball, which enables him to impart more revs than before. 'Actually we'd been working on these things for way too long. Unfortunately, he went through a lot of injuries in between, which delayed it a bit. But once he got fully fit, his bowling has just evolved. It might seem like he isn't doing much, but in terms of angles, speed and trajectory, he bowls a lot of variations that will make him effective across conditions,' Pratheepan, who also mentors Varun Chakaravarthy, adds. In January 2021, when Washington left Brisbane, he had put his imprint on a famous Test series win. He would later name his pet dog 'Gabba' and was full of hope. In the next two months, he would play three more Tests against England and had scores of 85*, 0, 0, 96*; only to be never picked again till the beginning of 2024. As India moved on from the Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri era, it appeared they were doing so without Washington as well, going two entire World Test Championship cycles without considering him. Injuries (Two in his fingers and one in his shoulder and hamstring) also played their part, as every time he made a comeback, a lay-off seemed around the corner. Washington would change his diet plans, would go about improving his fitness, yet something seemed to hold him back. 'It was definitely not an easy period,' his father Sundar says. 'It was difficult to see him because he looked stressed and down. Personally, I've never seen him like this and at home, we, as a family, tried everything to keep in a good frame of mind. Growing up, because of cricket, he has missed out on a lot of things that other kids get to experience. And since he always calls me a hard taskmaster (Sundar was Washington's first coach as well), at the ground, he was always fear-stricken when he saw me at home.' During his stint as mentor of Lucknow Super Giants, Gautam Gambhir had told assistant coach Sridharan Sriram how Washington was being under-utilised in Indian ranks. Now in the hot seat as India head coach, at his first sight of distress during the New Zealand series, it was Washington that Gambhir turned to. When many expected Kuldeep Yadav to feature in the series – similar to the current circumstance in England – it was Washington who came in after a solid spell in the Ranji Trophy and got a spot in the XI. Washington's batting, despite his heroic efforts at Brisbane, Chennai and Ahmedabad, has gone under the radar. In Chennai cricket circles, many, including the reputed WV Raman, have always seen him as a top-order batsman who can bowl rather than a bowler who can also bat. In Washington's formative years, Sundar had ensured his son got equal attention to both facets of the game. The mornings would see him alternate every day between bowling and batting before it was fine-tuned at the MRF Pace Foundation. 'When Sundar brought him, even as a 14-year-old he could face fast bowlers bowling with a full run-up. He wasn't afraid of facing them,' M Senthilnathan, who coaches him at club level, says. 'Even when he came here, he had a strong defence. When your defence is strong, you can add shots to your batting. He doesn't need to change his game based on the format. He has shots that go all around the park. If he constantly gets to bat higher up, you will see more from him as a batsman. With confidence, he would only get better,' he says.
News18
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Century at Old Trafford, Style on Instagram: Washington Sundar Is India's Quiet Game Changer—On and Off the Field
Last Updated: Washington Sundar's epic Old Trafford century signals his cricketing resurgence, while his minimalist, authentic fashion choices are making him a Gen Z icon. When India found themselves gasping at 0/2 on day five of the fourth Test at Manchester's storied Old Trafford, not many could have foreseen a result that would shift the series narrative. And despite KL Rahul and Shubman Gill's epic stand of 188 runs, India were still not out of the woods. Enter Washington Sundar, promoted up the order with Rishabh Pant sidelined, striding in with an air of composure that belied the occasion. Sundar's unbeaten 101—his maiden international century—became the axis around which India's great escape swung, ably partnered by Ravindra Jadeja in a defiant, undefeated 203-run stand. While the hosts circled, desperate for a 3-1 lead, Sundar and Jadeja batted through the storm, transforming adversity into an exhibition of grit and clarity. As coach and commentators alike acknowledged, this innings will be remembered not just for the numbers, but for the sheer maturity Sundar exuded under pressure. For a player often viewed as a bits-and-pieces all-rounder, this was a coming-of-age performance: technical, prepared, and impervious to noise. Sundar's own words, 'A Test hundred is something truly unique. Every century matters, but this one holds special significance," underscored both a personal milestone and a broader message of resilience. But if his cricket captured the imagination of millions, it's Sundar's understated off-field swagger that's refreshing the playbook of Indian athletic icons. Among a generation of cricketers increasingly alive to the demands of image culture, Sundar stands out—not by chasing trends, but by redefining them. His Instagram feed offers a compelling visual story: swerves into streetwear, vacation fits in Harare sun, nods to Chennai roots with veshti drapes, and collaborations with youthful brands like Puma and Anker that favor substance and versatility over loudness. His style mantra? 'Have fun with comfort." Sundar plays with colors, but shrugs at flamboyant prints. He prefers joggers, hoodies, and carrot-fit pants over attention-grabbing statements—a wardrobe that quietly balances cosmopolitan ease and rootedness. The occasional cap or sneaker drop hints at a collector's sensibility. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Washington Sundar (@washisundar555) Even his brand partnerships are thoughtfully chosen: global sportswear labels and innovation-driven tech, reflecting a personality that's evolving but never pretentious. tags : India vs England 2025 Off The Field Washington Sundar view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 29, 2025, 19:02 IST News cricket Century at Old Trafford, Style on Instagram: Washington Sundar Is India's Quiet Game Changer—On and Off the Field Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Ben Stokes asked some hard questions amid handshake gate at Manchester: ‘What if Duckett was batting on 90…'
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel reckons Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar should have continued batting and not gone off the field even after scoring their centuries on Day 5 of the Manchester Test against England. Jadeja and Sundar formed an unbeaten 203-run stand for the fifth wicket to help India stay alive in the series against all odds. However, a fantastic battle between bat and ball was marred by the handshake drama in the final few minutes on the final day of the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Ben Stokes had a heated exchange with Ravindra Jadeja at the end of Manchester Test. (Action Images via Reuters) In the final few minutes on Day 5, England captain Ben Stokes threw in the towel as he approached Jadeja and Sundar to shake hands and call the game off early. However, the duo were nearing their tons, hence it's not surprising that they chose to go for milestones. Stokes and the rest of the England side did not take this refusal kindly, as they had some nasty things to say. The England captain brought Harry Brook into the attack, and he bowled one full toss after another, sort of mocking Jadeja and Sundar. Parthiv Patel believes India should have batted on further. He also raised a question about what England would have done in the same situation had Ben Duckett been batting on 90 at that time. Also Read: Gautam Gambhir fights with Oval pitch curator, has heated spat before 5th Test: 'You don't tell me what to do' – Watch "England did things their own way. Their effort was clear — they wanted to bowl India out and win the game. But when they realised that wasn't possible, they put their weapons down and acknowledged that India had played very well. At the same time, India did what they wanted to do in their own way — two players worked really hard, batted brilliantly, and both deserved to score centuries," said Parthiv on JioHotstar. "The only question I have is this: if Ben Duckett had been batting on 90 in the same situation and the opposition offered a handshake, would England have accepted it? I am very curious to know this, especially with so many talking about the 'spirit of the game.' In my opinion, the game should have continued till the end of the day, even if the Indian batters completed their centuries," he added. 'Looked like India could lose the Test' Parthiv Patel then praised Sundar and Jadeja's resolve. At one stage, it looked like India could lose the Test when KL Rahul and Shubman Gill lost their wickets in the opening session on Day 5. "If 15 overs were still left, India should have batted because they worked extremely hard. Before lunch on Day 4, when two wickets fell, it looked like India could lose the Test on Day 5," said Parthiv. "But from that point to batting through 143 overs is an incredible effort. So, I believe what India did was absolutely right — though personally, I feel they could have batted a bit more," he added. England lead the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-1, but India have a chance of levelling the series in the fifth and final Test at the Oval, beginning Thursday, July 31.
