'Love bowling in Powerplay': Washington Sundar

It has been that kind of an IPL season, where lesser-known or young, upcoming Indian players have held their own, making impactful performances in the presence of bigger names and established stars. It has been about the likes of Rahul Tewatia, Rahul Tripathi, Riyan Parag, Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar, to name a few.

Sundar's boundary-less spell of 1/12 in four overs for RCB against Mumbai Indians, in a match that saw both sides scoring over 200 runs and needing a super over to break the impasse, has been one of the standout bowling spells of the season so far. Seven matches on, Washington Sundar or Washy, as he is popularly called, is second on the list of bowlers with the best economy rate - 4.9. The 21-year-old has taken five wickets so far, but more than the wickets, it is his effectiveness with the new ball in the Powerplay that has made the batsmen wary of him.

In the match against Delhi Capitals on October 5, which RCB lost eventually, Sundar gave away just 20 runs in his four overs, even as the remaining RCB bowlers went for over 8 runs per over.

The youngster from Tamil Nadu said clarity of his role in the team has helped him come up with improved performances with the ball. "Knowing what you are supposed to be doing helps. You have a process to follow. Also, the fact that the captain, Virat Kohli, has confidence in me. I am very glad about it. That is important for a youngster like me.” He said that the decision to give him the ball in the Powerplay was taken by the team management and senior players.

“I just want to enjoy the process of bowling in Powerplays. I go in with a plan for every batsman. I make sure I am not short of ideas this season,"said the RCB spinner.

His performances have attracted praise from all, including Sachin Tendulkar. "His ability to keep watching the batsman’s feet till the last moment and adjust his line and length is a special ability," Tendulkar tweeted after the match against MI.

Asked about his ability to second guess and fox the batsman thus, Sundar said, "It's about releasing the ball as late as possible. The idea behind watching the batsman's legs is to see where he is trying to hit you. If you bowl the right length, it won't be easy for the batsman to hit you. All I am trying to do is be consistent about the length I am bowling and the areas I am bowling in."

He considers his height and high arm action as an advantage while bowling. "It's definitely a positive thing for me. Using my height properly with speed; I have put in a lot of work in the last one year, knowing my height can give me the advantage. I have to keep the same rhythm and routine going.”

RCB are having a better outing this season as compared to the last one, having won five out of the seven matches so far and are currently third on the points table, behind MI and DC. Sundar said the key to doing better this season have been the team bonding and discussions prior to the IPL, courtesy the bio-bubble the players are living in due to COVID-19. "We are together most of the times. We had good preparation prior to the tournament. We want to play with a lot of energy and intensity."

Sundar said he simply loves bowling in Powerplays. "You can't experiment in Powerplays with fields; you can do that in middle overs. You have to keep things simple in Powerplays."

He said that the fact that he started his IPL career playing under M.S. Dhoni for Rising Pune Supergiants in 2017, helped him a lot. "I am learning since then how to bowl in different parts of the game. I have learnt a lot from that experience.”

He is not looking too far ahead, though he has already made his India debut. A lesson he has learnt is to wait for his chance and then grab them with both hands when it comes.