Washington Sundar shared his views on the infamous handshake controversy between India and England, in which he was at the centre of the incident.
It happened on the final day of the Manchester Test, and India were fighting hard to avoid a defeat after England claimed a massive first-innings lead. India mounted a strong second-innings resistance, with KL Rahul and Shubman Gill laying the foundation before Ravindra Jadeja and Sundar attacked the English bowlers on the final day.
In the last hour, with Jadeja and Sundar both closing in on centuries, England skipper Ben Stokes walked up to Jadeja and offered a handshake-England’s customary way of signalling a draw and calling off play early, with about 15 overs still remaining. However, India declined the offer. Jadeja and Sundar, both on the verge of personal landmarks, were determined to see them through. The decision didn’t sit well with Stokes and several England players, who showed visible signs of displeasure.
Sundar weighed in on the incident, noting that such moments are quite common when two fiercely competitive sides face off on the field.
“I mean, it just happens in any sport, doesn’t it?” Washington told Wisden. “We’ve seen a lot of such things happen, not just in cricket, but in any sport. I mean, that’s how sport is. It brings out a lot. I think it was just an experience for all of us, honestly.” Sundar admitted that the tension kind of fired him up,” he said.
“You want to be challenged”: Sundar
The Indian all-rounder further acknowledged that the episode added extra spark to the team’s performance, explaining how such moments tend to heighten the intensity of a contest, particularly in the red-ball format.
“One hundred per cent,” he said. “You ask this to any player – that’s exactly what you would hear. Especially in Test cricket, you want to be challenged because that’s exactly what you expect every single day. And when the situation gets tough, the only thing that will help you get over it and come out successful is being really tough in your head,” he added.
Sundar talked about the demands of excelling in the longest format, stressing the importance of sustaining high standards over time.
“Every player who’s played this format and been successful would have done this extremely well and over a long period of time, quite consistently as well,” he said.