Shift happened while playing in IPL: Sundar on finisher's role

RANCHI: India all-rounder Washington Sundar has revealed that he eased into the role of a finisher while playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Chasing a target of 177, the left-hander scored the highest for Team India with 50 off 28 deliveries, coming in at number six when India were struggling 89/5 while also picking up two wickets and grabbing a stunning catch.

Sundar mentioned that he loved batting up in the order but had to adapt to the finisher's role while batting in the IPL. "Yes, obviously, growing up, I always used to bat up the order no open in bat number three. But obviously, this shift happened, you know, ever since I started to play a lot of T-20 games, especially in the IPL. And obviously, it demands practice.

You know, any skill set, I feel if you practice really hard, if you work the right win specific way, you will eventually get it. And it happened that way to me as well. I just spent a lot of hours doing that particular skill set demands. And yes, eventually I got it. I'm lucky," revealed Sundar while addressing a media brief.

The off-spinner didn't give the pitch much criticism and said that the way it played was merely an exception and stated that the team need not change a lot of things due to the loss.

"I don't think that just because it was spinning so much, we have to address anything. Just that one-off game. It's just that one-off game. Things would have been much different if we had gotten off to a flyer or even a better start. Obviously, it did spin. You will see such wickets here and there, and obviously people over here, the players in our team have played in such wickets a lot of times in the IPL, even in the Indian team," said the 23-year-old.

The young gun mentioned that the New Zealand team bowled well with Darrell Mitchell's innings making all the difference.

"So it's just that one-off game where certain things didn't go away. And eventually, we did. We couldn't cross the line. And they also bowled well. They played with three spinners. Even the seamers bowled very well. Darrell Mitchell's innings was very crucial for them. We thought around 150 would be path, but he made difference, I feel. So, yeah, definitely. I feel I think we bowled ten overs of spin," expressed Sundar.

New Zealand produced a dominating performance with bat and ball to defeat India by 21 runs in the opening T20I of the three-match series at JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi.

New Zealand now lead the three-match series 1-0. Chasing a target of 177, Washington Sundar scored the highest for Team India with 50 of 28 deliveries while vice-captain Suryakumar Yadav played a gritty knock of 47 runs.

For New Zealand, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner and Lockie Ferguson bagged two wickets each.