Ex-India batter Mohammad Kaif questioned the bowling value Washington Sundar currently brings to the squad. In a blunt assessment, Kaif stated that Sundar doesn’t even come near Ravichandran Ashwin’s level as an off-spinner. Despite this, the team management under Gautam Gambhir has preferred Sundar.

On his YouTube channel, Kaif expressed concern over Sundar’s bowling impact and pointed out that even the captain seems reluctant to rely on him in crucial phases.

“The team management should clarify what role Washington is expected to play. As a spinner, he’s nowhere near Ashwin’s class. Across formats and under various captains, he rarely gets his full quota of overs. In pressure moments, skippers always turn to Jadeja or Kuldeep because they can take wickets. That trust doesn’t seem to exist with Sundar right now. He must significantly improve as a bowler,” Kaif said.

Kaif pointed out that the lack of breakthroughs with the ball has forced Sundar to compensate by delivering more with the bat, adding unnecessary strain to his role.

“His ability to take wickets is already limited, and asking him to shoulder more batting responsibility is only adding pressure. Right now, he is stuck between roles, neither a reliable bowler nor a specialist batter. He needs a defined job. Using him like Axar in the middle order is acceptable, but his primary duty must remain bowling, with batting as a bonus. If he isn’t trusted to bowl enough overs, his development will stall even more. He must sharpen his skills and add more variations if he wants a long career for India,” Kaif explained.