Washington Sundar's 85* in Chennai makes fans have interesting request for Virat Kohli

All-rounder Washington Sundar has been a regular feature in the Indian T20 side in recent years. However, with several key players sidelined due to injuries in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, the youngster was rewarded with a Test cap by the team management for the Test series decided. The talented player showcased his caliber in the longer format and his contribution was monumental in India clinching the series. The 21-year-old carried his fantastic form with the bat and played a superb knock in the India vs England 1st Test match at Chennai. 

India vs England live: Fans demand Washington Sundar's promotion in the batting order

The onus was on the Indian batsmen to deliver after the visitors posted an imposing total of 578 in their first innings. Joe Root and co. seemed to have an upper-hand as Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane failed to make an impact. Cheteshwar Pujara steadied the ship from one end with his resolute approach, whereas Rishabh Pant also contributed significantly with the bat as well.  

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Playing only his second Test match, Washington Sundar once again proved why he is rated so highly by many cricket pundits. The youngster repaid the faith shown by team management with a gutsy performance with the bat. Despite the immense pressure, the left-handed batsman played brilliantly and ultimately remained unbeaten for 85. 

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While the all-rounder received praise from all corners for his lion-hearted outing, several fans also opined that the player deserved to be promoted up the order. Many also drew parallels between Steve Smith and Washington Sundar. Australia's prolific batter Steve Smith had made his international debut as a leg-spinner. However, he ultimately established himself as the team's premier batsman.

Washington Sundar made it to the Indian team for his abilities to bowl economically in limited-overs matches. However, the cricketer has played as an opening batsman for his domestic team, Tamil Nadu. It is worth mentioning that he was also included in India's U-19 team as a frontline batter. The player has impressed with the bat in his first two Test matches, and he could very well cement his place in the side on the basis of his batting prowess. 

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India vs England live streaming 

England claimed a valuable 241-run lead after folding India for 337 in the India vs England 1st Test match at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium. However, the Indian bowlers managed to stage a fantastic comeback. At the time of writing this report, England lead by 360 runs, but have lost five crucial wickets. Fans in India can watch the India vs England 1st Test live on the Star Sports Network. The live streaming of the contest will also be made available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website. 

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Image source: BCCI Twitter