Sundar hopes Lancashire experience will help in NZ

Back into the T20I scheme of things after an injury lay-off of more than a year, off-spinning all-rounder Washington Sundar feels his stint at the English county side Lancashire can help him do well in the ongoing limited-overs series in New Zealand.

After enduring a long injury lay-off for most of the year, Washington made a return to the ODIs last month against South Africa at home and is hoping for a good show in the limited-overs tour of New Zealand.

"I have spent a lot of time at the NCA, my stint at Lancashire was amazing before I got injured, so I've worked a lot on my body, particularly my shoulder," Washington said on Friday, ahead of the first T20I against New Zealand which was washed out.

"New Zealand is one of my favourite countries, the weather and the people are really pleasant. Since we got here, we spent a lot of time going to restaurants and walking to shops. We enjoy doing those things, enjoy our privacy out here."

Washington's tryst with injuries started in July, 2021 when he had a fractured finger while batting for Combined Counties against the visiting Indian team in a warm-up game. He missed the entire domestic season and after that, he was down with COVID-19 before the white ball series in South Africa in January this year.

In February-March, he missed the twin white ball home series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka because of a hamstring injury. During the IPL in April-May, he split his webbing and missed five games for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

After extensive rehabilitation, the BCCI played a role in getting Washington a county deal with Lancashire.

Then again, a left shoulder injury, sustained during a 50-over game for Lancashire, ruled him out of the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe in August.

He said he will never play football for warm-up before matches. "It was a weird accident that happened five or six years ago. I was playing football and broke my ankle. I will never play football in my life! There are so many things to do other than just play football."

Talented opening batter Shubman Gill said his earlier experience of playing in New Zealand could come in handy here.

"I came here for the U19 World Cup. Made my ODI debut here in 2019. Good to come back (to New Zealand). Definitely, I have fond memories of coming back to New Zealand. Whenever I know I'll be going to New Zealand it brings a smile," Gill said.

"I have been able to execute a few things I have been working on. It's always about me looking to score than looking for a four or six. I want to play fewer dot balls, I want to keep ticking, ones, twos etc.

"I've always felt that hitting sixes isn't about power; it's about timing. It's all about where I am meeting the ball. It's more about you waiting for the ball rather than swinging hard at the ball."

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