'Most of the teams who have dominated Test cricket for many years, I think they have had good quality all-rounders in their line-up.'
Kuldeep Yadav got more purchase from the docile pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi as compared to the other Indians tweakers is because he is a wrist spinner, said Washington Sundar after the Indian bowling unit took as many as 118.5 overs to dismiss West Indies in their second innings, on Day 4 of the second Test, on Monday.
As many as 13 out of the 20 wickets were picked up by the spin troika of Kuldeep, Jadeja and Sundar. Left-arm spinner Kuldeep claimed a match haul of 8/186 in 55.5 overs in the Delhi Test, while Sundar bagged just one wicket in 36 overs and Jadeja took four wickets in a total of 52 overs across the two innings.
"I think he (Kuldeep) bowled really well. He hit those areas really well and being a wrist spinner, he probably got a bit of purchase here and there as well and that definitely helped," Washington said on Monday.
"But yes, I think all the bowlers bowled really well. Even the quicks bowled their hearts out. So, yes, as I said, it's really heartening to have taken 20 wickets on this track," Washington added.
He felt that the wicket was no different to what Kotla has been producing over the years.
"This, I would say, is a typical Delhi wicket, where there is not much bounce and obviously, there wasn't a lot of turn on offer also in this game. But yeah, different venues play out quite differently, and that's the beauty about this format in particular."
"We play in a lot of different conditions -- be it home or away and obviously, all those conditions and the opposition challenge our skill sets and that's the beauty of this format. We keep going," the lanky all-rounder said.
The Indian bowlers have sent down more than 200 overs in this game and Washington feels that England series had prepared them well.
"I mean, the England series definitely made us understand what it actually feels like to be on the field for five days because even in England, we fielded for about 180-200 overs every game. So, this definitely isn't something very new to us.
"One thing for sure is that we have got to be really fit and on top of our game in that aspect and in Test cricket you honestly expect that. You expect most of the Test matches to go until the fifth day and challenge you in every way possible."
On a lighter note, he said that ideally, like the scribes covering the game, even Jaiswal wanted to finish it off on Monday.
"Yeah, I mean a lot of you all also would have liked if the game got over today but Jaiswal did his best. On another day, we would have definitely finished it on fourth day."
Shai Hope was bowled off an inside edge by Mohammed Siraj for 103 while the other centurion John Campbell (115) was trapped leg before wicket by Jadeja.
Washington said that there were different plans for different batters.
"I mean, I would say we did quite a few different things depending on the batsmen. For some, we tried to bowl a little wider and hit the rough and for some others, we tried to be really straight as much as possible and bring the stumps into play."
Identifying the weakness and prying on batter's patience was key on the fourth day, said the spin all-rounder.
"It's more to do with what kind of a batsman he is and eventually, try and bowl to his not-so-strengths. Make him play as many balls over there and eventually pick wickets over there I mean, I think we were really patient throughout."
The Indian team under Gautam Gambhir's coaching has been about multi-skilled cricketers, and Sundar feels blessed that he is one of them.
"I mean, it's just been a blessing honestly. To be an all-rounder is really heartening because you are always in the game. You have a great opportunity to make an impact for the team with both skill-sets and eventually, win the game for the team.
"I mean, I have got to thank God for all the skills he's blessed me with," he said, adding that historically teams with more all-rounders have always been dominant force in the traditional format.
"Obviously, in Test cricket, it's better to have as many all-rounders. I mean, if you go back and see, most of the teams who have dominated Test cricket for many years, I think they have had good quality all-rounders in their line-up and I would say we've got some really quality all-rounders in our team as well.
"So yes, it's just an opportunity to either do something special with the bat or the ball given whatever the team requires, whatever the situation requires and eventually, win the game for the country."
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